Newest articles on The Sacramento Press tagged as "youth"

Preventative measures in gang violence discussed a year after barbershop shooting

2011-12-21T04:53:01Z

Additional efforts will be made by the Sacramento Police Department and Sacramento Sheriff's Department to prevent youth involvement in gangs by promoting interactions between police officers and the youth. The mayor is calling this approach a paradigm shift, and it will be part of Sacramento's first comprehensive plan for gang prevention, Mayor Kevin Johnson announced Tuesday at the Boys & Girls Club on Lemon Hill Avenue.

The emphasis of the program will be heavy on prevention and intervention instead of just enforcement and incarceration, according to the mayor.

Johnson said the program will focus on school literacy enrichment, strengthening the relationship between the Sacramento community and law enforcement, supporting workforce readiness programs and job training, and promoting regional collaboration.

The COPS (Community Oriented Policing Services) program provided funding for additional deputies in taking on this task.

Undersheriff Mark Iwasa said that community interaction and youth level intervention is important in solving the gang problem.

Deputy Chief Dan Schiele said that every contact law enforcers have with the public is an opportunity to be a role model and that youth interaction is one of the priorities.

"I grew up in Oak Park, and anytime we saw a police officer, we ran, because we always thought we were in trouble, even though we're not in trouble," Johnson said. "You don't want a community living in fear."

He said that, through the program, he will challenge law enforcers to be proactive in interacting with the youth, and make sure the first interaction with them is not negative, in order to build trust.

A vigil was held outside the venue after the press conference in commemoration of Monique Nelson's death anniversary, a gang-related death that was known as the barbershop shooting.

"There is nothing we can do to bring back her life," Johnson said. "But we made a commitment that her death won't be in vain."

He said that within the four-month period after the shooting, all four shooters were arrested. He added, "Justice was served."

Nelson’s brother, Richard Anthony Nelson was at the press conference Tuesday and said, “Hopefully we can stop this (gang violence) in our area, because it really destroys families.”

In the next couple of months the mayor said that the Gang Prevention Task Force he formed will put an implementation team in place that will be in charge in making sure that the program’s goals are achieved within the next three years.

Downtown youth lounge opens with red carpet style

2011-10-13T16:45:36Z

Urban youth lounge Vibe opens Oct. 8

2011-10-06T06:57:13Z

After several years of planning, Vibe, the new urban youth lounge, will host a party at 5 p.m. on Saturday to celebrate its grand opening. Located at 1725 K St., the center will provide a place for teens to do their homework, socialize and be safe, said Catherine Pentoney, spokeswoman and former chair of Vibe’s Board of Directors.

Since 2007, the Vibe Foundation has been raising money to open its youth lounge. The nonprofit organization was founded by Julian Nagler and David Schenirer.

“Vibe was a concept that came out of a need in Sacramento for the youth to have productive things to do,” said Nagler, one of Vibe’s co-founders.

Nagler said he believes places like the Boys and Girls Club of America didn’t have the ability to attract modern teenagers.

“There needed to be something else in Sacramento that had a more inviting social atmosphere,” he said.

Nagler said that he and Schenirer came up with the idea for Vibe after the Sacramento Youth Commission identified “a significant lack of safe and relevant places for Sacramento teens to socialize, connect to community resources and seek … employment.” They then surveyed teenagers across the city, asking them what they would like to see an after-school hangout look like. Before long, the idea of Vibe began to solidify.

One of the main ideas behind the center is that teenagers should play an active role in administrative decisions. Two boards, a youth board and an adult board, are in charge, but the youth board has the final say on most matters.

Many prominent people are on the board, such as City Councilmembers Angelique Ashby and Steve Cohn, Steve Briggs, the marketing manager at The Sacramento Bee, and several students from local high schools.

The party on opening night will feature performances by a wide variety of local teen musicians. Pentoney says that many genres, from hip-hop to indie acoustic, will be represented. Some of the acts include the 2011 Jammies 3rd place winner Parie Wood and the spoken-word group Sacramento Area Youth Speaks.

During some of the musical sets, performance art will take place as well. Pentoney said that Matt Bird, a local visual artist, will be doing an art piece on a blank wall while the musicians play.

The party is free and open to the public. Food will be sold, including coffee donated by Starbucks and baked goods made by Vibe’s teenage volunteers. Pentoney said that the money raised will go to help fund the lounge and its activities.

“We want people to come out and participate,” she added.

At the party, teenagers will be able to sign up for a Vibe membership, which Pentoney said will be structured similarly to a gym. Any student enrolled in high school is eligible for a membership.

The cost of a membership has not yet been set, but Pentoney said that it will be around $10 per month. Members will be allowed one guest to encourage more people to sign up. She added that scholarships will be available to low-income teenagers who are willing to work on site at Vibe.

Membership will allow teens to come after school and take advantage of the center’s amenities, such as laptops and tables, to do homework and hang out with friends, said Pentoney. They will also host regular events.

“(There will be) everything from rap battles to video game contests to poetry readings,” she added.

She said that to decide what events will be held at Vibe, surveys will be done routinely at local high schools to get a feel for what would be popular.

“We try to make all of our events reflective of what the youth in Sacramento want,” Pentony said.

Pentoney said that she believes Vibe will have a positive impact on high schoolers growing up in Sacramento. “The way I look at (Vibe) is that it’s a place for people to teach and inspire each other and to do things that they otherwise couldn’t,” she said.

"Beautiful Youth" premiere draws a crowd at the Crest

2011-08-19T08:07:20Z

Just a week ago, the Sacramento Press reported on a local documentary about youth homelessness and on Thursday, "Beautiful Youth" screened for a packed house as part of the Sacramento Film & Music Festival SummerFEST. The Festival contacted the filmmakers as a result of that article and, given only a week of lead time, the size of the audience was both noteworthy and a testament to the interest in the topic. The film itself has a running time of 47 minutes and was followed by a Q&A session with filmmakers Jennifer Lystrup and Mackenzie Long which lasted equally long. Even more remarkable, almost the entire audience stayed throughout the post-screening discussion and asked questions of both the directors and several of the individuals who were interviewed during the making of the film.

The Sacramento Film & Music Festival continues through Sunday evening. Friday evening's lineup consists of three narrative feature films: "Face to Face," "Stan," and "The Corridor" at 7pm, 9pm, and 11pm respectively.

The full Festival schedule can be found here.

Disclosure: Tony Sheppard is Co-Director of the Sacramento Film & Music Festival.

Youths will report on South Sacramento community

2011-06-28T06:55:07Z

A group of South Sacramento teens will get the chance this summer to learn the ins and outs of basic news writing and reporting. The goal is to get the youths to become advocates for their community and to give voice to the issues that are particular to South Sacramento.

The Neighborhood News Bureau was established by a partnership between Access Sacramento, a nonprofit organization that provides access cable television, and the La Familia Counseling Center to teach approximately 20 teenagers, ages 14 - 18, grassroots, community-based journalism.

La Familia is one of five community centers that Access Sacramento has partnered with to develop Neighborhood News Bureau sites. Other sites include Asian Resources, Florin Creek, Pannell Center and Valley Hi-North Laguna Library.

“One of the critiques is the only time you hear about South Sacramento is when there’s a murder or a violent assault. There’s a lot of good, and the good far outweighs the negative reception that has been placed around this area,” said Vidal Gonzalez, universal youth specialist at La Familia. “By giving the kids the tools to put those positive issues forth, it’ll help to shape that perception of their neighborhood.”

According to Gonzalez, Access Sacramento is providing the NNB at La Familia with two Flip cameras, a PC with Vegas video editing software and technical support workshops.

Isaac Gonzalez, local writer and community advocate enlisted by Access Sacramento, will serve as a mentor to the 20 core youths participating in the La Familia Neighborhood News Bureau.

“Me and my father didn’t get along so I found myself as an adult aways looking to mentor figures and I feel this the part of me giving back to that. To mentor kids is a huge opportunity for me to do the same favor that other men did for me,” Isaac Gonzalez said. “To help a kid out and to give positive constructive criticism – I owe it.”

During the summer, Isaac Gonzalez will be working with youths at La Familia to help them focus their ideas and to frame the stories for their community. The story concepts and the writing will be provided by the youths, but Gonzalez will be editing the submissions and uploading the stories onto www.accesslocal.tv.

At a June 24 meeting, the NNB convened and was still in the beginning stages of developing story ideas. Each of the youths have been enlisted to develop their own story ideas. One of the youth wanted to write about the death of her 3-year-old cousin who died in an alcohol related crash.

“The inability to think about the consequences on other people when you are having fun can have dire consequences,” Isaac Gonzalez said.

High school senior Ramon Castellanos, 18, is writing a piece about juveniles on death row and he explained that the frontal lobes of young people are not fully developed.

“A lot of these youth have very real experiences in their communities - very harsh experiences and sometimes their minds are more open to things because of what they’ve been through,” said Apolonia Cortez, a youth leadership coordinator at La Familia. “I just believe they have completely different perspectives and they should be heard.”

Despite the dismal job setting for teens this summer,Vidal Gonzalez said he sees opportunities for youths participating in NNB. Statewide, the public school system has reduced summer school course offerings and La Familia has reduced teen job programs.

“I think a lot of youths are upset that there aren’t jobs out there – that there aren’t enough activities and programs for them. The majority of parks have been closed. A lot of pools are on very minimal schedules. The kids don’t have a lot of good, positive things to do and speaking to the youth, they want to express that,” Vidal Gonzalez said.

The Neighborhood News Bureau is part of Youth Voices, a program made possible by funding by the California Endowment.

Summer Oasis Program for Children saved from Budget Cuts

2011-05-31T23:30:39Z

With current budget cuts happening in most City departments, it is hard to find an opportunity to directly save programs without having to offset it with cuts elsewhere. That is why, I am pleased to announce that I have been able to allocate funding and salvage a very worthwhile and important opportunity for children in District One.

If you have children in your family in need of a fun, positive and exciting summer activity – check out the Summer Oasis Program.
The Summer Oasis Program is a camp for kids that has been offered for several years. Due to cuts to the Parks & Recreation budget, the program was slated to be removed from the 2011 summer offering. After being brought to my attention by Natomas families, I discovered that over 100 Natomas kids love this camp, so I made it my mission to find a way to bring it back. Using District One discretionary funds, I was able to save the program by donating the $10,000 necessary to reinstate it for the summer of 2011. Fox 40 did a special story on it, which you can check out here: Natomas Park and Rec Program Saved from the Ax. This program provides children in 1st through 6th grade with an opportunity to get outside and participate in games, field trips, activities, arts, crafts, and more. This is an 8 week program and cost to attend the camp is $75 per child (field trips will require an additional fee of approximately $20 per field trip) which covers the entire 8 weeks, but you may cater the program on a week by week basis and pay only for those weeks your child attends. Please click on the flyer above for more information and tell your family, friends and neighbors – let’s fill this camp up and get our kids out in the parks having fun and enjoying growing up in Sacramento!

Space is filling up fast so make sure to visit Parks and Recreation Web site to register. Once you arrive at the page, click on “ After School Programs and Day Camps ” on the left hand side bar, then select " Youth ", and then on the right hand side scroll down to “ Summer Oasis ”, select “ Show Courses ” and make sure to select the “ Regency Park – Summer Oasis ” option.

Former Mutual Housing resident takes honors in essay contest

2011-05-31T19:32:24Z

A young Vietnamese woman—who came to the U.S. for burn treatment and helped get a start in a Mutual Housing community—has been given an honorable mention in a local college essay contest.

Nhi Vo’s essay on her struggle to survive a family fire in 2000 that killed her mother and severely burned Vo and two of her sisters recently took honors in the “Sacramento News & Review” 2011 College Essay Contest.

Vo has been accepted into the University of California, Davis, where she will study cellular biology. She plans to become a doctor.

“Becoming a doctor would allow me to give back all the love and kindness that has been shown to me by my parents, sisters, doctors and counselors, social workers, and people in the community,” she wrote in the essay.

After her father’s death of cancer in late 2009, Vo raised her sisters while attending high school, dealing with family finances and continuing medical treatment.

When her family of six first moved to California, they were able to live in Mutual Housing at Lemon Hill, a community for low and modest-income residents. These Sacramento|Yolo Mutual Housing Association communities help people get back on their feet by providing decently priced rental housing.

In high school, Vo joined the South Sacramento Coalition for Future Leaders. The coalition creates a place where youth can be safe, able to grow and realize their full potential.

“We are so proud of Nhi, not just for the wonderful essay she wrote, but for who she is and what she has done with her life,” said Emily Bender, Program Coordinator for the coalition, who works for Mutual Housing.

Students from every high school in the region submitted essays to the Sacramento News & Review. The May 5th issue featured the top finalists. The winners received $2,011 for the first-place, $750 for the second-place and $250 for each third-place winner of a three-way-tie.

Vo was one of two chosen for an honorable mention. To read her essay, go to http://www.newsreview.com/sacramento/im-not-crazy/content?oid=1982117.

Sacramento|Yolo Mutual Housing Association develops and operates well-designed rental housing for modest-income households. The communities have 2,600 residents, half of whom are children.

Through Mutual Housing’s focus on leadership, the nonprofit also provides training and mentoring as well as educational programs, community-building activities and services for residents and neighbors. For more information, visit http://www.mutualhousing.com.

The South Sacramento Coalition for Future Leaders is funded by a drug-free communities grant from SAMHSA. For more information, visit http://www.samhsa.org.

Disclosure: A former journalist, Dell Richards owns Sacramento's Dell Richards Publicity. Sacramento|Yolo Mutual Housing Association is a client. For more information, visit www.dellrichards.com.

"American Idol" this Friday as South Sac students perform for prizes

2011-05-23T17:55:06Z

Some of South Sacramento’s best young performers will compete for cash prizes at Hiram Johnson High School Auditorium Friday, May 27, from 4:30 to 7:00 p.m.

Sponsored by the South Sac Coalition for Future Leaders, there also will be an art show by local youth.

“These student performers are really talented… well worth coming to see,” said Rachel Iskow, Executive Director of Sacramento|Yolo Mutual Housing Association, one of the SSCFL sponsors.

Hiram Johnson is located at 6879 14th Avenue, Sacramento. Admission is free.

The South Sacramento Youth Coalition for Future Leaders is partially funded by a drug-free communities grant from SAMHSA. For more information, visit http://www.samhsa.org.

Sacramento|Yolo Mutual Housing Association develops and operates well-designed rental housing for modest-income households. The communities have 2,600 residents, half of whom are children.

For more information, contact SSCFL Youth Coordinator Staphonya Cabrellis, (916) 200-9428.

Disclosure: Dell Richards runs Dell Richards Publicity, a Sacramento public relations firm. Sacramento|Yolo Mutual Housing Association is one of her clients.

Youth Voices

2011-05-20T01:34:57Z

Local youth are documenting community issues that impact them and their environment via photos, short videos and documentaries and then posting it on the Youth Voices Story Map site, which was launched in April.

The online map features 85 links that are connected to many stories illustrating issues varying from neighborhood cleanliness, safety, education, to employment .

Nine counties in the capital region area are displayed in the map. These areas are: Yuba, Nevada, El Dorado, Placer, Amador, Sacramento, Yolo, Solano and Sutter.

Six issues are showcased in the map: neighborhood assets, local challenges, health and safety, social justice, education and role models.

The map is navigated by clicking on issue area and/or initiative then a display of media produced in that area is showcased.

The site was birthed from a three-year action research project titled Healthy Youth/Healthy Region, according to Jonathan London, 42, director of the project.

Currently, there are about 100 youth involved, and the number is increasing steadily, London noted.

The purpose of the study was to document the condition of young people in the capital region. It begged the questions: how are young people doing here, what factors are influencing health and well-being and what can be done to improve the heath and well-being of young people, London explained.

The research project was funded by Sierra Health Foundation and The California Endowment and conducted by the UC Davis Center for Regional Change, which London also directs.

London, also an assistant professor in human and community development, said he believes youth voices are crucial to the community.

“Youth Voices Map is the idea that young people have a right to he heard,” London said. “Their interest or perspectives need to be taken seriously by adults and leaders. This, very often, doesn’t happen. It particularly does not happen for young people who are underserved or unrepresented such as youth of color, minority, isolated, gay, lesbian, transgender or poor.”

One of the methods of the study is a youth-led participatory action research, which requires youth involvement, that is how Youth Voices Map came about, London explained.

The project reached out to youth-based groups such as Sactown Heroes which is a part of West Sacramento Youth Resources Coalition, a group that was already conducting its own research on healthy youth and a healthy region from its own perspective. They are interested in how the youth feels about their communities.

Yaminah Bailey, 26, a youth engagement coordinator for Sactown Heroes, said she was excited to have her youth work with the project.

“Youth Voices gives a tool to youth to showcase their perspective about the community, so I was excited to be involved,” Bailey said. “It helps (youth) to articulate and develop ideas into a framework by using research, collecting data and explaining findings.”

They have had about 25 of their youth involved. Raising awareness of the value of youth voices is something that will be good for other communities, Bailey said.

Kenneth Nix, 15, attends River City High School and was involved with Youth Voices in 2010.

He and other students developed a video documenting places in West Sacramento that they felt impacted them negatively or were unsafe and their thoughts about them, Kenneth said.

They looked at a local McDonald's and found it unsanitary, he added

“You should have perspective from every person,” Kenneth said. “Young people are beginning to be heard because we are actually putting our voices out there.”

London said people need to remember that the youth are the future.

“If (the) Sacramento capital region is going to be successful in the future, we need to do a better job taking care of young people and ensuring they have resources and opportunities necessary for them to succeed,” London said.

It is necessary to understand in what way the region and its success affects the well-being of young people. The region can’t succeed in creating plans for young people if young people themselves are not directly involved, London noted.

Andre Bailey, 15, also attends River City High School and said he was involved with Youth Voices in 2010.

“We wanted people to hear about our environment,” Andre said. “We did a video and took photos of the Sacramento River. There is a lot of litter, graffiti and trash.”

When decisions are being made, we want policy makers, leaders, community members and such thinking, “What do youth have to say about these issues?” London said.

“Teen knowledge is very good knowledge to help our community,” Andre added.

The program draws from many already-established youth organizations to get members.

Some of these have been: Wind Youth Services, Youth In Focus, the Cordova Community Collaborative, Students Reaching Out, the Documentary Foundation, Sutter/Yuba Friday Night Live and the Center for Multicultural Cooperation.

There are no particular requirements for youth to join.

Sactown Heroes has composed 43 stories, and the Youth in Focus Project has composed 25 stories, London said.

Youth Voices Map is an ongoing project. It is welcoming other young people in the region to commit to contributing their writing and stories and it will be shared on Youth Voices story map.

According to London, Health Youth/Healthy Region project will be releasing a report on July 14. There will be an event for it at Sierra Foundation on Garden Highway.

For more information, click here, or visit Art of Regional Change, they are a key project partner in the Youth Voices project.

For the love of beer: West Coast Brew Fest

2011-05-20T00:50:21Z

About 3,000 people and 60 breweries will converge at Miller Park Saturday afternoon and stay until the kegs are tapped dry at the 12th annual West Coast Brew Fest.

“The West Coast is the home of the micro-brew, and we have over 120 brews coming this weekend,” said co-founder Matson Breakey. “We seem to have a really great following of people that come out every year and are well-behaved and represent Sacramento and other places.”

He added that in addition to the region, dedicated followers arrive from as far away as Arizona and Washington.

The festival is set up as a “tokenless tasting” event, where beer enthusiasts pay admission to enter and then are handed a cup and set loose to choose their favorite beers in 5-ounce pours from 1 - 5 p.m. Saturday.

The beer is all donated by the breweries, and proceeds from the event benefit the Make a Difference Project, a North Sacramento organization that helps youth get involved in civic activities and volunteering, said Breakey, who used to be a board member.

“We’ve been raising anywhere from $25,000 - $30,000 each year,” he said.

The festival started small in 2000 with Breakey and co-founders and beer judges Dwight Bradish and Brian Freeman organizing a festival that drew about 350 people. It has continued to grow – except one year when the Sacramento Kings were playing the Los Angeles Lakers in a playoff game – and it has sold out for the past several years.

One of the local breweries participating is Brew It Up! – located at 14th and H streets – which has been a part of the festival since the first year.

“For us, it’s an opportunity to get out in front of our customers,” said owner Mike Costello. “It’s part promotion and part party. It’s a great time that really draws people that are looking for craft-brewed beers, unique beers and beers brewed in and out of the region.”

Costello said he will be bringing three beers to the event – ESB, an English-style ale; Three Amigos, a Belgian triple-style beer; and the third one will be a surprise.

“Each brewery brings a couple of different beers,” he said. “The way they set it up is there’s large tents, and they’ll get four to five breweries in each, and it’s a great time to be side by side with other breweries and talk to other brewers about the business.”

Brew it Up! has been brewing since 1996 in Davis and moved to Sacramento in 2003. All beers are made in-house, and 22 are on tap at the brewery.

Another local brewery involved in the event is River City Brewing Company, located in Westfield Downtown Plaza, which has been a regular at the festival for years, according to Brewmaster Brian Cofresi.

The brewery has been in business since 1993 and sells its beers only at beer festivals and the restaurant.

“I like getting the chance to kind of stand there shoulder-to-shoulder with the big boys and say, ‘Hey, we’re doing it right here, in Sacramento,’ ” he said.

River City will bring at least four beers to the event – including Woodenhead Ale, a hoppy amber ale; a Belgian white ale; a West Coast-style India Pale Ale – more hoppy than the English style; and Consternation, a black sour beer – which will probably be fully consumed during the VIP event.

VIP ticket holders, according to Breakey, get early entrance to the event and earlier beer sampling as well as a slightly larger cup.

In addition to local breweries, numerous American and European breweries will be on-hand as well.

“We have a lot of great ones returning,” Breakey said. “Alaskan is always a fan favorite, and I’m really interested to see Fossil Fuels – they make beer using a yeast strain that apparently is 45 million years old.”

Other breweries come from as far away as Hawaii, Poland and the Czech Republic. For the official list of breweries, click here.

For those who prefer a good cider, Breakey said there is always a good selection of those as well, including local Two Rivers Cider.

Tickets are available for pre-purchase online and in participating breweries, including River City Brewing Company and Brew it Up! VIP tickets are $95, general admission is $30 and designated driver tickets are $5.

Breakey recommended arriving early, as a line forms about half an hour before the gates open.

Miller Park is located at 2710 Ramp Way near the marina.

Brandon Darnell is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow him on Twitter @Brandon_Darnell.

5th Annual Quattro Cup benefiting Diogenes Youth Services

2011-05-12T05:21:38Z

Niello Audi is proud to present the 5th Annual Quattro Cup, the world’s largest Amateur Golf Tournament.

Date: Monday, June 27, 2011
Location: Catta Verdera Country Club, Lincoln, CA

Time: 10:00am Registration, 11:00am Shotgun Start
Pricing: $160 Single, $300 per Twosome, $575 per Foursome
*** Register at www.nielloquattrocup.com ***

Your registration includes:
• 18 holes of golf at Catta Verdera
• Winner advances to National Final at Whistling Straits Golf Course in Kohler Wisconsin
• Catered Lunch and Dinner
• Complimentary Course Beverages
• Tournament Gift & Fabulous Gift Bag
• Dinner Reception & Awards

This event locally benefits Diogenes Youth Services, a non-profit organization which provides emergency shelter and counseling services to homeless, runaway and at-risk youth in Sacramento.

Sponsorship opportunities are still available!

For questions, please contact Cynthia Jamison at 916-752-5991.

Disclosure: Whitney Chamberlain is on the Board of Directors for Diogenes Youth Services.

Kaiser Permanente provides grant to fund flu clinics

2011-04-26T17:19:08Z

Stepping in to replace funding eliminated by state budget cuts, Kaiser Permanente has approved a nearly $50,000 grant to fund Sacramento County’s flu immunization program for low-income and underserved schoolchildren.

The grant for the Immunization Assistance Program, which is run by the county’s Public Health Division, will allow public health officials to re-establish plans to vaccinate hundreds of children at 20 elementary schools this fall.

The $49,737 grant is provided by Kaiser Permanente’s Community Benefit program in the greater Sacramento area. The grant is among $1.2 million in funding approved last week to improve access to health care and health-care coverage, increase health education, and prevent violence in Sacramento, Yolo, Placer and El Dorado counties.

“Kaiser Permanente strongly believes in improving the health of the communities in which we serve, and we are extremely pleased to provide this much-needed contribution so that children continue to receive the flu vaccine at their schools,” said Edward S. Glavis, senior vice president and area manager for Kaiser Permanente in Sacramento and Roseville. “Children are a vulnerable population for spreading and acquiring the virus that causes the flu, so it is critical they receive the vaccine – especially if their families don’t have access to health insurance.”

About half of the grant will pay for public health nurses. The remainder will fund a program coordinator, medical supplies and other expenses.

Katie Minke is a Media Relations Specialist for Kaiser Permanente

Community Event Draws Attention to Violence Prevention

2011-04-12T21:12:17Z

In an effort to raise awareness about violence prevention in our community, Increase the Peace, a community event for the entire family, will be held on Saturday, April 16 at South Sacramento Christian Center, 7710 Stockton Boulevard, in Sacramento. Registration begins at 9 a.m. and the event lasts from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The event is sponsored by People Reaching Out, The South Sacramento Christian Center and Kaiser Permanente.

Highlights of the day include a special performance at 10:30 a.m. of Kaiser Permanente’s Educational Theatre Program production of "Peace Signs," which uses theatre to teach students how to resolve conflicts without violence.

In addition, a free lunch will be given to the first 1,000 attendees and free haircuts will be provided by Paul Mitchell Beauty School. Also available to attendees will be a Food Bank and Clothes Closet provided by South Sacramento Christian Center. In all, more than 25 organizations will be on hand to show their support of reducing violence in our community, including The Guardian Angels, My Sister’s House, the Sacramento Police Department, the Sacramento Violence Intervention Program and many more.

In 2009, Sacramento was identified as having the second highest violent crime rate of the ten largest cities in California. Current statistics show that youth in the 16-25 age group account for the highest percentage of violent acts. Additionally, Sacramento has seen an alarming rise in gang membership – there are now more than 4,500 known gang members in the City of Sacramento.

Preventing youth violence requires the support and contributions of many partners – law enforcement, healthcare providers and private industry. The Increase the Peace event brings together these and a number of other partners to raise awareness about youth violence.

For more information, call People Reaching Out at 916-576-3300.

Katie Minke is a Media Relations Specialist for Kaiser Permanente

FREE Youth Summer Job Fair Saturday, April 2nd

2011-03-25T19:58:59Z

The City of Sacramento's Neighborhood Services Division of the Department of Parks and Recreation, the VIBE Foundation, the Sacramento Employment and Training Agency (SETA) and the Walmart Foundation are sponsoring a FREE Youth Summer Job Fair on Saturday, April 2nd at Cesar Chavez Park and Historic City Hall. Here is more information:

Saturday, April 2, 2011 ~ 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM ~ Cesar Chavez Park (910 I Street, between 9th & 10th Streets) & Historic City Hall (915 I Street)

Are you between the ages of 16 and 22? Then don't miss out on this opportunity! Over 30 organizations will be available to offer full time and part time job opportunities, internship opportunities, college recruitment information, US military information, and so much more. In addition to resource booths, free workshops are offered across the street at Historic City Hall. This workshop (two sessions) will teach you how to dress to impress and how to nail an interview. If you have a resume, remember to bring several copies, and first impressions go a long way, so dress professionally.

Don't have a ride home? We've got you covered! Regional Transit is offering FREE bus and light rail passes.

For more information please call the Neighborhood Services Hotline at (916) 808-6525.

Access Sacramento to start Neighborhood News Bureaus

2011-03-12T01:34:13Z

Access Sacramento is putting together a network of news bureaus in the South Sacramento area. The goal is to get youth to report for their communities, producing news stories about South Sacramento. The effort is based around a website that access Sacramento has set up called accesslocal.tv.

Ron Cooper, executive director of Access Sacramento, said that besides being known for negative news, South Sacramento seems to be absent from the news altogether. He wants to help revitalize the area through empowering the youth to become news reporters and serve them by developing their journalism skills.

“South Sacramento is big area with lots of people and lots of ethnic diversity,” Cooper said. “Stories with positives don’t usually trickle out.”

There are currently five neighborhood news bureau locations. Asian Resources, La Familia, Florin Creek, Pannell Center and Valley Hi-North Laguna Library were selected as the initial locations to host the news bureaus. They were provided with computers, flip cameras and funding for training.

“Young people accept challenges and changes much more readily. That’s always been the case,” said Cooper said. “I like the idea of organizing young people and challenging them to tell the stories of their communities.”

A part of the project is bringing in the technological resources for youth to use. The project is providing computers and cameras to help them report stories. He said that providing the resources and letting youth “play” and experiment will be an important way of developing how the neighborhood news bureaus turn out.

“I’m not launching a five-year plan here. We have some tenets, but it has to be responsive to what we learn along the way,” Cooper said. “Over the next six months, we will gradually widen the sphere and add more neighborhood news bureaus.”

The Sacramento Metropolitan Cable Television Commission provided the initial technological equipment.

“We went to the Sacramento Metro Cable Commission, and they gave the equipment necessary for the initial sites,” Cooper said.

Part of the project is being funded through the California Endowment, which selected South Sacramento as one of 14 neighborhoods across California in need of assistance, said Christine Tien, California Endowment’s Sacramento’s program manager.

“For us, it’s a youth empowerment tool – a good way to generate stories from the youth perspective, especially in the South Sac area,” Tien said. “Currently, the only type of stories coming out of South Sac are crime-related.”

“Part of the grant is for training youth to be community reporters, reporting from their perspective on community issues.” Tien said.

Fong Tran is a youth coordinator at Asian Resources. He works on helping to produce and guide the stories of the young reporters.

“The purpose of the neighborhood news bureaus is to provide an opportunity for grassroots and community organizations to work with youth, and to put out news that comes from the community and the community perspective.” Tran said.

“It’s a chance for, what were marginalized communities, to speak in their own words about events and topics,” Tran said. “It’s a way for youth to get what they want to say out to the mainstream world.”

Access Sacramento is a nonprofit community media organization that provides resources to Sacramento community members to produce independent media. The organization has been producing radio and cable programmes for the last 25 years. The neighborhood news bureaus are the most recent way of engaging the Sacramento community.

To learn more about the neighborhood news bureaus, visit AccessLocal.tv.

11th Annual Cesar Chavez Youth Leadership Conference come to Roseville

2011-03-11T19:25:09Z

Roseville, CA – The Robert C. Cooley Middle School will be ground zero for one of the largest youth education forums in Northern California. Close to 1,000 elementary, middle and high school students will converge on the Cesar E. Chavez Youth Leadership Conference and Education Fair on Saturday, March 19, 2011 in Roseville, CA.

For over a decade, this event has provided guidance to youth seeking to pursue higher education and grant information. This unique educational forum allows 6th to 12 grade students and their parents an opportunity to learn how to pursue secondary educational and grant opportunities. College recruiters will be available to answer student questions. There will also be information designed to empower families to become stronger advocates for their children's education.

The conference is open to people of all ages. It is scheduled from 8:00 am to 3:30 pm at the Robert C. Cooley Middle School campus located at 9300 Prairie Woods Way in Roseville, CA 95747. Approximately 700 students and 200 parents attended the 2010 conference. The event is sponsored by The Hispanic Empowerment Association of Roseville (HEAR), the Latino Leadership Council and the Cooley Latino Student Club.

The conference is free to anybody interested in pursuing a higher education. Pre-registration is not required but strongly recommended. Pre-registration is available by downloading conference information at http://www.hear2000.org. The conference was founded 11 years ago by Rene Aguilera, a Roseville City School District Board Trustee. The conference traditionally kicks off a series of Sacramento-area events related to California’s Cesar Chavez Holiday.

There will be an entertainment portion of the conference from 12:30 pm to 2:15 pm. Jose Montoya, former CSU Sacramento professor and original member of the Royal Chicano Air Force will make a presentation. Other performers to be showcased, include:

The Folklorico Latino de Woodland
The Miktlantekuhtli Aztec troupe
The Miktlantekuhtli Aztec troupe
A Bachata dance troupe
The Yemaya salsa dancers
There will also be a live theater presentation of ‘Nightmare on Puberty Street,’ by the Kaiser Educational Theater Program. That presentation begins at 9:30 am.”

“The Cesar E. Chavez Youth Leadership Conference supplements what most school districts do on or around March 31 – his birthday and acts as a primer for learning,” said Aguilera. “We ask parents, students, educators and business and community leaders to come out and volunteer their time to teach and learn from each other on both days. The overall goal of the conference is to help youths learn how to be community leaders; how to become involved; how to learn about social and political issues; and how to pursue educational opportunities beyond high school. Topics will include student financial aid, scholarships and career information including law, journalism, military, teaching, social welfare, art, music and dance, medicine, law enforcement and professional athletics and many others.”

Cesar Chavez was co-founder and president of the United Farm Workers (UFW) union. He led the union from the 1960s to his death at age 66 in 1993. The UFW was instrumental in organizing farm workers in several states. In 2000, Governor Gray Davis signed SB 984, asking that school districts give an hour of instruction in all schools around Chavez's March 31 birthday.

The youth conference continues to recognize the UFW founder's lessons on non-violence, self-sacrifice and social justice. Students are encouraged to engage in some form of public service appropriate for their age and grade as part of the Cesar Chavez Day of Service of Learning.

“Overall, we expect around 800 students from throughout Sacramento, Northern California and the Central Valley,” said Aguilera. “Many students come back to this event year after year. They find it beneficial in helping them find out more about college opportunities. They have fun interacting with other students, conference presenters and event volunteers.

“One of the great things about this particular conference is that we have so many parents involved,” said Aguilera. “Once again, the California Association Bilingual Education (CABE) is registering parents for the conference. We will have a parent specialist conduct a presentation showing parents how to be more involved with their child’s school."

For additional information on the Cesar Chavez Youth Leadership Conference, call Rene Aguilera at (916) 532-5998, or fax registration applications to H.E.A.R. at (916) 782-2040. Students can also take their completed application to their counselor and ask them to fax it. Visit the conference web site at www.hear2000.org.

# # # #

LGBTQ Homeless Youth Fundraiser

2011-03-11T00:54:30Z

Homeless in America come in all colors, all ages and their number continues to grow. Homelessness in Sacramento is also on the rise. This past Tuesday, March 8, 2011 a fundraising reception was held at Beatnik Studios for the Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Queer/Questioning (LGBTQ) homeless youth of Sacramento.

The humanitarian issue of homelessness is addressed differently depending on the areas that it affects. In Sacramento and other cities little has been done to meet the needs and challenges of the LGBTQ homeless youth.

These challenges are being addressed by the Sacramento Gay and Lesbian Center along with individuals and community groups. As a result The Sacramento LGBTQ Homeless Youth Initiative was created by these groups to address this issue.

Guests at the Beatnik Studios mingled while enjoying Michael “Custom Chef” Shugert’s catering. As I enjoyed the food I chatted with Roy Bishop and partner Bill Johnson. Roy and I talked about Los Angeles as it turned out we grew up around the same area down in Watts and East L.A. Mr. Bishop lived around the skid row area in L.A. around 5th and Main Streets. It’s unfortunate but that area is still considered skid row.

As Mr. Bishop talked about L.A. he reminisced about living in the downtown L.A. area during in the Zoot Suit time period. Having an older sister in Sacramento he made the move up here during adolescence where he went to school in Sacramento and Woodland. He’s been here ever since.

Roy Bishop was there to support the fundraising and pointed out some of the dignitaries on hand. He identified Wendy Hill for me. Wendy is the Executive Director of the Sacramento Gay and Lesbian Center. Roy indicated that she was going to be moving on to work at the State Legislature.

After a while Wendy Hill took the microphone to welcome guests at the event. “My name is Wendy Rae Hill; I’m the outgoing Executive Director at the Sacramento Gay and Lesbian Center. I’m so happy and welcome to all of you here tonight. It’s amazing to see this turnout.” said Wendy as she introduced herself and talked about the event.

A new initiative in Sacramento called the Homeless LGBTQ Youth Initiative brought guests to the event. Wendy also indicated that the co-chair of this event was Paul Curtis. “I started the center last May,” Wendy said as she gave a short background history. “Over the summer I noticed as I was coming to the center and opening up. There was about 6 to 8 young people that identified themselves as LBGT that would grab their backpacks and their belongings off the back deck and scamper away for a few hours and then sometime during the day came in to the bathroom and clean up or just hang out.” Wendy said.

Wendy said that she decided that instead of just closing her eyes to this she decided to act on what she saw. Wendy invited them in and talked to them about their circumstances. Sitting with these young people Wendy learned a lot about this special population of LGBT youth and young adults.

“I asked them to go around and count the number of their friends that they know of who are in that transition age, that 18 to 24 age group.” Wendy said. She indicated that there are approximately 32 youths in the Midtown area that fit the category. Wendy and Paul got together with other community leaders and talked about solutions to this problem.

This group talked about the services needed to be provided in the Midtown area for these homeless youth. Common characteristics were evaluated and Wendy indicated that “Most of them were either kicked out by their families or had to get out of their home at about age 18. Many were not prepared to be on their own. Few of them had a family history of poverty or homelessness meaning that once they were out on their own they had no idea what to do.For this youth the coping skills were just not there."

“It was their orientation or gender identity that was the reason why they no longer had that family.” Wendy said as she talked about this group of the homeless population. “The last common characteristic common for this group was that one of the reasons their parents, their family sited for kicking them out or pushing them out was religion.”

Wendy continued and said they identified that most of these kids, unless they were in the child welfare system or homeless system, prior to age 18 there are very few services available to them. She said, “That’s where tonight comes in. This fundraiser tonight is essentially raising the seed funds to move forward with a number of problem areas.”

Problem areas identified to be worked on were: creating an assessment system to evaluate needs, build a host housing program and provide support for the hosts that house young people. Creation of a Service Provided Training for these LGBT youths. Life Skills Training classes are also needed, as is the creation a mentoring and job training program, an emergency fund, a P.R./Communications program and fundraising.

Paul Curtis thanked those who helped put together the program. “We had a goal at the beginning,” said Paul. “The goal was, I thought, let’s see if we can raise 15 to 20 thousand dollars. I’m proud to say tonight that we met our goal.” Paul said and received cheers and applause from the audience. Paul indicated that in these economic times it’s hard to ask for funds and said, “It shows that our community really wants to embrace issues like this where there’s a huge need in our community.”

Paul thanked honorary co-chair and new County Supervisor Phil Serna. Mary Hernandez who donated the remaining campaign funds from her run for the City School Board election try was also recognized as one of the main contributors. Mary came on stage to say, “I wanted to thank the LGBT community because really you were my rock, you were my base when it came down to hitting the streets and help spread the word. First of all thank you very everything that everybody did on behalf of me and on behalf of my campaign.” Her contribution was appreciated and the guests thanked her.

Paul Curtis thanked the many individuals and organizations for their donations and acknowledged them for their contributions. He later continued, “This is just the start of the program, we have a long way to go. This gives us the seed money. The goal for this program is not keep it going with a community fundraiser every year, we’ll do something like this, but it will important that we out to the State and Federal Grants.”

Shahera Hyatt, Consultant, California Homeless Youth Project was introduced. Shahera has written her research brief; “Struggling to Survive: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer/Questioning Homeless Youth on the Streets of California” and is available on the California Homeless Youth Project web page.

Shahera informed the audience that copies of her report were available in a couple of areas in the building. “We know that in the state of California up to 200,000 youth experience homelessness over the course of a year. Up to 40% of them identify as LGBTQ. In researching this report I not only consulted literature on this population but also interviewed LGBTQ homeless youth themselves but also the service providers across the state.” She wanted to get a better picture on the unique challenges and strengths of this group, her findings can be found on the very interesting brief she wrote.

Wendy came back on stage to thank sponsors and remarked that the program will also require volunteers to share their expertise. Wendy pointed out that volunteer sheets were around the studio for those that wished to sign up.

Wendy invited Supervisor Serna to say a few words before the. “I’m very energized this evening to play a very small part of this great effort.” Serna said. He talked about his efforts to address homelessness in the Sacramento area but specifically around the American River Parkway. “I’m very honored to be associated with this effort and what I would like to do in the interest of being very proactive. I would like to set a new goal tonight if it’s okay. I would like to commit to raising at least another $5,000 by the end of April.” Serna said and received many cheers. “But that means everyone in this room has the commitment to collectively match that.”

The challenge was issued and Serna ended by saying, “You need to reach out to your friends, colleagues, workers and family members to help me match that so we can raise an additional $10,000 by the end of April.”

With the final comments made the food and drink areas acquired more visitors. New friends and contacts were made and the opportunity to meet people involved in the LGBT community ended the evening. Janice Steele, Pastor, of the Imani Community Church was on hand and we talked about the event. Her church is on 2100 J Street and said that the LGBT community is welcome to attend where they can meet people who are willing to offer support and, as their motto says, “Practice Radical Hospitality.”

New initiatives, information and websites regarding the LGBTQ (and non-LGBTQ) homeless community can be found at the following sites:

Cahomelessyouth.library.ca.gov
cahomelessyouth.library.ca.gov/docs/pdf/StrugglingToSurviveFinal.pdf
www.SacCenter.org
www.sacramentostepsforward.com
www.endhomelessness.org
http://www.calyouth.org

VIBE hosts Cake Craze Contest for local cake decorating artists and bakeries

2011-03-10T05:10:08Z

Saturday, VIBE organization will be organizing and hosting a cake-decorating contest where local bakeries will showcase their designs in Midtown for the Second Saturday Art Walk.

Cake Craze is a fundraiser and all proceeds will benefit the VIBE Foundation and the new teen center that is being built.

VIBE is a youth organization which was founded in 2007 and officially became a nonprofit organization about a year ago.

“The VIBE Youth Board was brainstorming ideas and came up with the Cake Craze contest,” said VIBE spokeswoman Mylesha Ramey.

Julia Hildago, chairwoman of VIBE, said this is the first time we’ve done an event like this and we’re very excited.

The youth organization is made up of a group of teens, including Hildago, who seek to emphasize youth leadership throughout the Sacramento community.

Several local bakeries and cake artists will be participating in the Cake Craze contest.

Participants include New Roma Bakery, Posh Couture Cakes, Crazy Cake Company, Olivia’s Custom Cakes, the Nugget Market on Florin, Cake Castle Bakery, That’s a Cake, and freelance cake artists Stacy Smith, Sierra Rizing and Rosalie Sarron.

The youth board will be judging the contest.

All contestants will be judged in four visual categories: best in presentation, most creative, most outrageous, and best depiction of theme.

“There are no guidelines or requirements,” Ramey said. “Each bakery must come up with their own cake and it has to relate to the theme Generation Y.”

The winner will be featured in The Sacramento Bee with a photo of the winning cake, said Christina Demoss, executive director of VIBE.

In addition to being promoted through the Bee, the winner and the other contestants will be promoting their businesses at the actual event.

“I plan to hand out some business cards and hopefully get more business,” said Rosalie Sarron a contestant of Cake Craze. Sarron is a freelance cake decorator who lives in Natomas.

“We’ll probably end up having at least 1,000 people coming to the event,” Demoss said.

VIBE leaders said they would like for all contestants to be creative and diverse in the presentation of their cake art.

“I am really excited about the theme because I am a part of Generation Y, and I love designing cakes, so I this will be a really good first experience,” Sarron, 25, said.

Hildago explained that all proceeds will be going to the VIBE Foundation and that the organization is currently in the process of opening a teen lounge in Midtown.

The Cake Craze contest will be from 4:30 – 9:00 p.m. at 1725 K St. In addition to the cake art contest, there will be vendors such as Starbucks and Vic’s Ice Cream.

All participants will be bringing their decorated cakes between 3:45 -4:30 p.m.

The cakes are only being used for decorating, not eating, but there will be live entertainment.

“For the entertainment, we have John King. He’s from San Francisco, and he plays the drums off of like trash cans and pans. It’s really interesting and very cool,” Hildago said.

Demoss encouraged anyone who is interested in attending this event to come and support the local bakeries and youth of Sacramento.

For more information, visit the VIBE Foundation website. www.thevibefoundation.org

Midtown teen center in the works

2011-02-12T02:32:38Z

In a case of young meets old, a group of civic-minded teens is getting closer to its goal of creating a hip space for youth at a senior apartment complex in Midtown. The city’s Planning Commission approved a permit on Thursday for the VIBE Urban Youth Lounge to operate at the Midtown Manor senior complex at 1725 K St.

The center’s groundbreaking is planned for March 12 and will coincide with the Second Saturday Art Walk.

VIBE organizers had planned to open the center in July 2010. Christina Giffin, executive director of the VIBE Foundation, said the opening was delayed because of lack of funding and because she took some time away from the project to take care of her baby.

“Honestly, what I really want from VIBE is just a place where no cliques or high school social class exists,” said Mylesha Ramey, 18, one of the people involved with the burgeoning teen center.

VIBE will be housed in a remodeled part of the senior center. City Councilman Steve Cohn, a board member on the VIBE Foundation, said the center is scheduled to open this summer.

“They’re really going to turn it into a really hip place,” Cohn said.

Giffin has worked with the teens to fundraise for the remodel. DesCor Builders donated $50,000 of in-kind services to the remodel, Giffin said. About $100,000 of design work was donated by Stantec Consulting Services and architect Ed Mojica, she said.

VIBE is now fundraising for $20,000 to cover the costs of a door, signage and concrete for the front entrance, she said. Giffin said she’s been volunteering on the VIBE effort for more than two years.

“I really just want to see this happen for the community,” Giffin said.

The teens will be supervised at the center, noted Giffin. “There will always be a young, really cool adult there,” she said.

The group plans to have a career center at VIBE, according to a Planning Commission report. There are also plans to have events like dance classes and poetry readings, the report said.

Kathleen Haley is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

HIV awareness campaign reaches out to minority youth

2010-12-08T19:18:36Z

For the second year in a row, Kaiser Permanente is supporting the Center for AIDS Research Education and Services (CARES) in their HIV and STI testing campaign geared towards African American and Latino youth age 15-26.

The program trains youth peer educators to reach out to minority youth through social networking sites like Twitter, Facebook and MySpace and gets them out in to the community to do counseling, HIV testing and education.

“We’re seeing a very high rate of new HIV cases among minority youth,” said Amanda Chi, CARES Manager for Outreach, Education and Prevention. “This program is unique in that it uses new ways to connect with youth who otherwise wouldn’t be seeing or hearing how important it is to get tested for and protect yourself against HIV.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control, minorities represent 70% of new AIDS cases, 65% of people living with AIDS and 72% of all AIDS deaths. Those under the age of 30 account for 34% of new infections, the largest of any group, with 21% of those infected being unaware of their status.

The continued support of this program -- $75,000 -- is part of $500,000 in funding that Kaiser Permanente is providing to seven Northern California organizations through a fund established at the East Bay Community Foundation. Organizations were selected for their ability to provide screening to the targeted population as well as to connect clients with HIV/AIDS support services, like those offered at CARES.

For more information, visit www.caresclinic.org.

Disclosure: Katie Minke is employed by Kaiser Permanente Sacramento Valley Area, Northern California Media Relations

SAYS provides speaking platform for area youth

2010-11-30T02:37:10Z

Young poets from all over the world gathered in Los Angeles this year to compete at the Brave New Voices event. Among them were members of the arts-based literacy program SAYS (Sacramento Area Youth Speaks), who placed fifth in the youth poetry event – an international spoken-word contest televised on HBO.

After observing both the peril and potential of the educational system, former Bay Area high school teacher Vajra Watson founded SAYS in partnership with the UC Davis School of Education, and the Twin Rivers, Sacramento City and Elk Grove UnifiedSchool districts, the Sacramento Office of Youth Development and the Sierra Health Foundation in January 2009.

SAYS and Watson now advocate for young people to seek insight into their lives through engaging literacy programs.

“We tell those who go perform at the international poetry slam that they are now ambassadors of Sacramento,” Watson said.

With only five people attending its first meeting, SAYS has seen tremendous growth since its founding, evidenced by the 900 students and poet-mentors who attended SAYS’ second annual all-day Summit and Spoken Word Poetry SLAM this year.

SAYS hosts SLAM poetry nights on school campuses and in community centers to spread the message of its program, which involves using voices for social change, Watson said.

“We believe that if (students) have the investment, and it’s relevant, then they’ll stay,” she said.

Winners of these regional open-mic poetry nights are then asked to perform and compete at SAYS’ annual Summit and Poetry SLAM, which is held at the UC Davis Mondavi Center.

Six Sacramento area finalists were selected from the summit’s SLAM finale to represent SAYS at the international Brave New Voices competition in Los Angeles this year, which was hosted by rapper/actor Common and actress/model Rosario Dawson.

Some 500 young people from more than 50 cities in the United States and abroad competed at what Brave New Voices organizers claim is the largest ongoing spoken-word event in the world.

Poet-mentors work with these young people in classroom and after-school program settings. SAYS has 15 part-time staffers between the ages of 18 and 50. They are primarily people of color who approach the educational system from a nontraditional background, Watson said.

SAYS poet-mentor Stephen Dimal has worked in Martin Luther King Jr., Grant and Woodland high school classrooms and after-school programs since August. After graduating from UC Davis with a major in psychology, Dimal said he wanted to do something purposeful that would help improve the educational system.

“SAYS itself is very life-changing and revolutionary in the sense that it’s trying to bring something completely different to the school system that hasn’t been there,” Dimal said.

Watson said poet-mentors are primarily poets from the community and, as is the case with Dimal, from UC Davis undergraduate programs. However, some poet-mentor educators are graduates from other colleges and universities.

After receiving the CPEC Award, a nearly $1 million grant intended to bolster a teacher’s ability to provide relevant and engaging literary curriculum in the Twin Rivers Unified School District (North Sacramento), SAYS now has the funding to reach a wider range of students, Watson said.

“Primarily, we’ve been in urban areas, but now it’s exciting to work in different demographics,” Watson said.

Watson encourages students to approach school and education with the same survivalist fervor that they carry with them on the streets.

“We use the phrase, ‘School’s my hustle,’” she said.

SAYS subcontracts with school districts and uses fundraisers to keep the program’s offerings free to students.

By creating an in-class residency program in 15 schools in the Sacramento region, SAYS’ poet-mentors partner with teachers to enhance existing lesson plans so that they will better engage and connect with students, Dimal said.

“We really want to work with the student who the teacher sees as not engaging,” Dimal said. “We cater the lesson plan to that student.”

Dimal said SAYS doesn’t go into a classroom asking, “Who are your troubled students?” Instead, SAYS staffers observe which students may be struggling or getting kicked out of class and attempt to find ways to get that student more involved.

“We want that kid that you don’t think can learn,” Watson said. “We want your rough and tough.”

According to Watson, SAYS’ programs reached out to about 10,000 students last year.

“We are cognizant to make a program that involves disenfranchised youth,” Watson said. “However, every young person needs platforms for their voice to be heard. Whether that student is rich, poor or middle class; whether that student is from an urban, suburban or rural neighborhood, youth need outlets to authentically express their insights and ideals.”

SAYS holds an under-21 open-mic night on the first Friday of every month from 7 - 9 p.m. at Sol Collective.

UC Davis will host SAYS Summit and SLAM 2011 on May 13, 2011. This year’s theme is “Know Your Writes.”

SAYS Summit and Poetry Slam 2010 (School Is My Hustle) from MVMT on Vimeo.

Rainbow Chamber of Commerce's "Simply Fabulous" Installation Gala & Live Auction

2010-10-01T16:38:27Z

For local businesses all over Sacramento, there’s nothing like making great connections, branching out your network, and reaching consumers in need of your products. The Rainbow Chamber of Commerce provides an umbrella of networking opportunities for gays, lesbians and gay-friendly business owners through monthly mixers to political and community social events. Thanks to the success of its exceptional members, the Rainbow Chamber of Commerce gives back to our city through the Rainbow Chamber Foundation. Providing college scholarships and leadership awards to outstanding gay, lesbian and gay-friendly youth, the RCC Foundation takes tremendous steps forward to help improve the lives of the GLBT community of Sacramento.
On October 5, 2010, the RCC welcomes you to come celebrate in style at the annual gala, which is set to be “Simply Fabulous”, 5:30-9:00pm at the Courtyard Marriot Cal Expo! Hosted by comedian Jason Dudely and welcoming the new board members of the RCC, come feast on a delectable dinner with friends, coworkers, colleagues and new friends! You won’t want to miss a “Fabulous” live auction by David Sobon of David Sobon Auctions. Tickets for the event are available online for $125 pre-sale, $150 at the door. Proceeds go to benefit the Rainbow Chamber Foundation scholarship program as well as Equality California, GSA Network and The Trevor Project. For information and to purchase tickets please visit rccgala.com

This article is a Collaboration with Joey O'shea, Non-Profit Specialist of Profitfornonprofits.org

No Rest for the Weary

2010-09-28T22:13:08Z

This morning I woke up determined to have a good day. But I guess that was not suppose to happen.

I left to drive my son to school. We stopped on the way to pick up one of his classmates. We sang with the music on the radio and laughed and talked. Everything was nice.

I drove home and decided to clean out my car. It was peaceful on my street. Everything seem so nice.

I called a co-worker to see if she could work for me today. I decided to go shopping and then come home and wash clothes, cook dinner and basically relax the rest of the night.

I sang as I headed off to the store. When I arrived in the store I received a call from a relative. I answered the phone and heard the words, "Rhonda the police are at your house." I replied, "What? Why, would they be at my house?'

He went on to say, "I came to get my mom's truck when I got out the car they rushed me. They were in a Black car with tinted windows. I was caught off guard. They told me who they were looking for and I told them I'm not him. They left no card, no note on the door. It was crazy. Ain't he a minor? They weren't even looking or asking for you, his parent."

I called my sons phone several times and their was no answer so I drove to his school. My son told me "I have no idea why they'd be looking for me. Maybe it has to do with the complaint at the light rail."

I came home and called the police 264-5151 emergency line. I informed the operator that a relative of mine and my neighbor has informed me Sacramento Police Officers were at my house looking for my son.".

She asked me for my address and I told her. She said, "Yes, we do show officers were at your house but I don't know why. Can I have your number and I will have the police officer call you." I gave her my number and I waited. I was no longer having a nice day

The officer called me. He asked, "Who told you we were at your house?" I told him, "the relative you spoke to and a neighbor."

He said, ":Yes, we were there. We wanted to talk to your son. He's not on Probation or Parole so we didn't leave anything. We just left " I asked, "Why do you need to talk to him?"

What the officer then said blew me away. What the heck is going on in Sacramento?

The officer stated, "We have word that he is affiliated with a gang?" I asked, "What? What gang?"

The officer stated, "And we want to talk to him regarding a recent gang-related shooting."

I asked, 'what shooting?'' The officer then began to tell me of the gangs, 'FAB, GMOB, BAY" Then he begin to tell me what the initials of the gangs stood for. I told him, 'I know what the initials stand for? So which one is he suppose to be affiliated with surely not all of them...and none of them are in this area"

The officer said he didn't know which one he is suppose to be affiliated with. I explained to him "that's because he's not affiliated with any of them' I then asked him how did he get my son's name. He said, "from gang detectives." I asked "Which gang detectives?" He did not know or didn't want to tell me.

Since he did not have the answers, just an officer knocking on doors and running up on people stopping by my house; I asked him the name of the gang detectives and a number to reach them since he came to my house based on information he says was given to him by the gang detectives.

The information he claimed to have, the information he provided me wasn't enough to come to my house to look for or question my son.

I asked the officer which shooting? All the time I've lived here, called when I heard gunshots and no one responded, I wanted to know what shooting would cause them to knock on doors, shake things up, see what they can get....

The officer told me they are looking for leads, suspect for the second Saturday shooting.

I AM ANGRY. My son was home when that shooting occurred. I was home with him.

The officer said, "We are seeing what we can drum up, looking for leads, shaking doors see what happens."

I want the person responsible for taking the life held responsible and accountable.

But for goodness sake Sacramento Police can't go around drumming, shakin down youth who are not involved. They can't go around labeling youth gang members, gang affiliates so they can see what happens.

My son has not gotten over the September 22, 2010 incident with Sacramento Police officers and turn around and have to deal with this.

I guess this is life in Sacramento under Kevin Johnson's leadership. To heck with Civil, Constitutional Rights. In Sacramento Civil, human rights are blowin in the Wind, in the City of Trees.

I'm glad officers are looking for the suspect. But I'd appreciate it if they do a little thing called investigation and knock on the doors of the suspects and not continue to treat all our youth like suspects.

Words can not describe how angry I am so I will end now and take it back up at City Hall tonight.

It seems their is no rest for the weary.

Sacramento Child Advocates' A Wine Benefit For Children, Celeb Cook Off & Helicopter Golf Ball Drop

2010-09-23T22:53:08Z

When children are brought into this world, the universal hope for them is a loving, supportive, healthy life, with loving parents, a good education, and every need met with the utmost satisfaction. The sad truth is that even in our own Sacramento community, children are placed into the foster care system. Child abuse, neglect, drug addiction, and poverty are only a few of the nightmares faced by many young members of our city. These kids never asked to be in these situations nor do they have much of a say as to what happens to them including where they live or where they go to school. This is where Sacramento Child Advocates comes in! They have Given a voice and protected the rights of over 5000 abused and neglected children since 1991.
To celebrate their incomparable service to Sacramento’s youth in need and to ensure the services continue, SCA is holding a Wine Benefit for Children, this Saturday, September 25, 2010, 5:30 to 8:00pm at the private estate of Robert Buccola of Dreyer, Babich, Buccolla & Wood, LLP. We’re talking a wine party with Silver Oak, Caymus, and Rombauer and food from many local celebs like Rick Kushman and Jane Scully. You won’t want to miss a fantastic live auction with David Sobon of David Sobon Auctions. A two-bedroom condo in San Diego, a helicopter ride, and a chalet to Napa are just a few of the items up for bid!
Then to top it all off, A Wine Benefit for Children will showcase a Helicopter Golf Ball Drop! An extraordinary event where golf balls will be dropped out of the helicopter and whichever ball lands closest to the pin, wins! Prizes include: 1st place, $1,000 cash and 2 Southwest Airline Tickets; 2nd place, $500 cash; and 3rd place, $250 cash. Individual golf balls cost $25 each or you can get 5 golf balls for $100. To help the kids by purchasing golf balls, please contact Laura Fast 916-364-2342 or Lfast@sacchildadv.org.
Sacramento Child Advocates serves the young people of our city that feel alone, lost, and forgotten. It’s time to show those kids we support them and buy a ticket to this event you will never forget! Tickets to this outstanding event are $100 and can be purchased online at http://www.sacchildadv.org/fund.shtml.

Capitol events this week

2010-07-26T05:00:35Z

Monday, July 26
11 a.m. - 5 p.m. The Department of Rehabilitation will have a celebration on the West Steps of the Capitol in honor of the 20th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act. They will have testimonials from disabled people and speeches from multiple assembly members. Around 3,000 people are expected to attend. For more information visit here.

11 - 11:45 a.m. The California Youth Leadership Forum will have a group photo on the North Steps of the Capitol. Around 120 people are expected to attend.

Youth jobs tax derailed

2010-07-21T05:34:58Z

A proposed measure to tax Sacramento property owners to pay for youth job training was derailed Tuesday night.

Councilman Ray Tretheway removed the proposal from the City Council’s agenda, which means that it won’t be placed on the November ballot.

Tretheway told reporters after Tuesday’s meeting he removed the plan from the agenda because council members were not interested in advancing it to the ballot. The City Council faced a Tuesday night deadline to move the proposal onto the ballot in November.

“I think that the respect for the process trumped what I believe is a chronic problem of lack of resources and investment in our youth.”

Tretheway said he thought his colleagues were concerned there would be a lack of public process if the council voted Tuesday to place the plan onto the ballot. However, he said he did not know the views of all the council members.

Tretheway had received criticism from Mayor Kevin Johnson for placing the proposal on the council’s agenda. In a July 20 blog, Johnson pointed out issues with the signatures the measure’s backers had gathered.

The Sacramento County Registrar of Voters had not confirmed that the measure’s backers had delivered the mandatory number of authentic signatures, according to Bill Camp, the executive secretary of the Sacramento Central Labor Council and one of the measure’s key supporters.

In his blog, Johnson wrote: “Rather than continue the drive and prepare for the next election, supporters last week decided to have the City Council place the initiative directly on the ballot — without discussion, analysis or debate.”

Camp told reporters that the proposal’s supporters will campaign for the proposal to go on a 2012 ballot.

The youth programs envisioned in the proposal would be funded by a $29 annual tax on parcels of property.

Young people ages 11 to 25 would participate in the programs. Funding would be doled out in three ways. Youth jobs and job training would receive at least 40 percent of the dollars.

Programs for at-risk youth would receive at least 20 percent of the funding. At least 20 percent of the money would pay for programs to help students with their academic skills.

Photo by Brandon Darnell.

Kathleen Haley is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

Niello Audi Quattro Cup - July 23, 2010

2010-06-22T19:48:29Z

The fourth annual Niello Audi Quattro Cup is coming up on July 23rd at the Ridge Golf Club in Auburn. Proceeds will benefit Diogenes Youth Services, a non-profit organization which provides critical social services to runaway, homeless and at-risk youth in Sacramento.

The National finals are in South Carolina and the World Finals are in Italy! As an alternative to the tournament format, you can play a four-person scramble format. You can register as a single, twosome or foursome. Your registration includes:

18 holes of golf at The Ridge Golf Club
Winner advances to National Final at Kiawah Island Golf Resort in South Carolina
Catered Lunch and Dinner
Complimentary Course Beverages
Tournament Golf Shirt & a Fabulous Gift Bag
Dinner Reception & Awards

For more information about the tournament and to sign-up, visit www.nielloquattrocup.com.

If you are interested in sponsorship opportunities, please email Whitney Chamberlain, Diogenes Board Member.

War Heroes and Gold Medalist Rally Behind P.E.E.C.E Keepers

2010-06-08T08:21:37Z

War Heroes and Gold Medalist Rally Behind P.E.E.C.E Keepers

Attendees at P.E.E.C.E. Keepers most recent event had a virtual reality encounter with the history channel, thanks to George Porter one of the original Tuskegee Airman, who came with a few members of his crew from the local Sacramento Tuskegee Airmen Chapter, along with some rare artifacts of the Tuskegee Airmen’s’ history.

“This event was personal to me, I wanted to bring together all of the people who are invested in the program. The parents who invested time into putting their children into the program, the counselors that are interested in working in the program and the people in the community who are interested in donating to the program, so that they could meet each other and see who we are and what we’re doing.” Said Algrie Monique Bridges, founder and director of P.E.E.C.E. Keepers.

Two-time Olympic gold medalist and former WNBA superstar Ruthie Bolton, gave an inspirational talk about perseverance.

Bridges consolidated the celebration with another special occasion, which was her graduation from National University’s, Psychology Master Degree program.

“The purpose of this event was to bring awareness to family health, not just physical health, but mental health as well. “ Added Bridges.

P.E.E.C.E. (Positive Energy Engaging Communities Everywhere) Keepers is a catalyst for change dedicated to promoting mental health awareness and wellness. The organization’s mission is to restore balance, promote peace and inspire ethical growth in communities of crisis and social systems breakdown. The goal is to help people empower themselves; championing others to grow professionally, emotionally, and spiritually and encourage others’ inherent goodness.

To view the photo album of this event and to obtain more information or to make a donation to P.E.E.C.E. Keepers please go to the website@

www.peecekeepers.org

By Rayford Johnson/Npaphoto.Com

Sacramento's youth Get the Real Antwone Fisher and Ricky "Freeway" Ross

2010-06-01T07:43:13Z

Sacramento youth were given the honor of listening to the amazing stories of Antwone Fisher and Ricky “Freeway” Ross at the George Sims Community Center Friday, thanks to Neighborhood Services and Black Men Who Mean Business. The paths they went through to overcome and persevere were amazing. Their words of wisdom may be helpful in these hard times for the youthful audience. Their stories have inspired me, as a recent graduate from college, to remember that no matter how horrible your situation is, you can succeed.

The first speaker is a very well known screenwriter, producer and author. Fisher’s life began when he was born in a correctional facility to a 17-year-old inmate named Eve May Fisher. At that time, women could not take care of their children in prison. Social services came into his life and put him into foster care. Fisher spent his first 14 years living in a home where he was abused sexually, mentally and physically. At the young age of 14, Fisher was kicked out of his foster home and sent to a reform school until the age of 17. When he graduated, he was emancipated and became homeless.

To escape from homelessness, he joined the Navy, where he traveled and grew dealing with all the baggage of his life. After successfully growing in the Navy, he went on to work in a federal correctional prison as a correctional officer. While working in this prison for three years, Fisher came across a wonderful opportunity to work at Sony Pictures as a security guard. While working at Sony Pictures, Fisher became interested in screenwriting. Once he overcame the obstacles of learning how to screen write, he got the chance of a lifetime to write about his amazing transition through life and where he is today.

Fisher’s journey has showed me another perspective on life. Throughout all the hardships and barriers, he was still able to make his life a success.
Ross shared his story about his life during and after “dope dealing.” Ross was one of the biggest drug dealer in American history. He admits he never was interested in his education, and only wanted to aspire to what he was exposed to. Robbers, drug dealers and gangsters were all he knew living in Los Angeles.

He reflected on when he started to turn his life around: “When I was in prison , and they put three pieces of papers in front of me. They told me these are all the things they are claiming I did. I was too embarrassed to tell them I didn’t know how to read. So, I went back to my cell and learned. It took me only two week to learn to read.”

From that point on, Ross realized that putting time and energy into something that can better yourself is a much greater reward.

These two stories, although very different, are also similar. Antwone Fisher and Ricky Ross have made the best of their situations. Negativity was not in their way during their journey. Youth should use their lives as an example that your situations should not limit you in your success.

Classic Rock Lives! . . . in bed by 11.

2010-06-01T02:48:42Z

Heart and Sammy Hagar. Between them they have sold nearly 100 million albums, not one of which was sold to me.

I knew Heart was from Seattle, and was famous for such hits as "Barracuda," and "that one song" and "you know that other song, the one, with the singer."

Hagar, "The Red Rocker," I knew from Van Halen, of course, but I have always been more of a Metallica guy. I can honestly say that I liked the Hagar incarnation of VH more than the David Lee Roth incarnation, but that isn't really saying much.

Sammy seems like he'd be a lot of fun to hang out with. Diamond Dave seems like he'd do all your drugs then leave with your girlfriend.

Heart and Sammy "co-headlined" a benefit show at Raley Field on Sunday night, and I decided to check out these two rock icons firsthand, and to see who's been buying all these albums.

I got to the show around 7 p.m. and surveyed the scene. And what a scene it was. I'd say the demographic was 85 percent 40 to 60 years old, all dressed as they would have been 25 years ago. Maybe the highlight was being on hand to witness a Sammy Hagar look-alike meeting a Brett Michaels look-alike. It was a powerful moment. Like the meeting of two heads of state. Except very, very different.

The rest were mostly the children of the 85 percent, and, to their credit, none of them seemed at all embarrassed by their parents outfits.

The vibe was overwhelmingly positive. The entire show I only saw one negative interaction: A woman cut in front of about 40 people in line for cocktails. When a man in front of me confronted her about it, she said that for 20 dollars a drink, he could cut in line too. He offered a guess at what she might have done to procure that 20 dollars. For her sake, I hope he was wrong.

Other than that, people could not have been friendlier or more upbeat. While the opening act played, I struck up a conversation with a woman and her college-age son. I asked Tammy and Wes if they had seen Hagar or Heart before. Turns out they had seen Sammy a half-dozen times, including twice in Cabo.

"You just happened to catch him in Cabo twice?" I asked.

"Nope," Tammy said. "We went to Cabo twice specifically to see him."

To say that The Red Rocker has devoted fans would be an understatement. I met another gentlemen named Jim who estimated he had seen Sammy 35 times, with and without Van Halen. He was there with his 12-year-old son. It was his first concert.

"This is a day he'll never forget," I offered, thinking back on my first concert. I saw the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Pearl Jam and Nirvana at the Cow Palace in 1992. I went with my mom and stepdad. Never were my parents cooler than they were that night.

Heart took the stage to raucous applause at 8:10 p.m. They received immediate bonus points from me when Ann Wilson came out playing a mean flute. Heavy metal flute is a powerful instrument when in capable hands. Ann proved more than up for the challenge. Ian Anderson would be proud.

The song was also noteworthy for being the only one in Heart's 70-minute set that I didn't immediately recognize, other than two songs from their upcoming album, "Red Velvet Car."

I could only name one song from the Seattle rockers going into the show, but it turns out I could sing along with just about every song they played.

They followed the flute song with "Heartless," (hey, I know this song!) "Never," (oh yeah, they play this) and "Straight on For You" (how did I forget this one?) before bringing the house down with Ann's sister Nancy on lead vocals for "These Dreams."

The beautiful love song was played in honor of Robert and Juanice. Or possibly Robert and Lanice. For Robert and his lovely date.

They followed that with the two songs from their new album. Otherwise known as "the bathroom/beer-run break." I hung around for both songs and thought they were quite good. The album drops Aug. 31.

Then they started playing their big hits. "Magic Man" into "Crazy on You" into "Barracuda" to finish off the set. Hit after hit, the crowd loving every second of it. They sounded great. The band was tight. Nancy displayed the chops that have made her one of hard rock's most formidable guitarists, and Ann belted out song after song, sounding just as she had in the band's mid-'80s heyday.

When they exited the stage, I mentioned to a fellow audience member that as co-headliner, Heart would probably come out for an encore.

"But they already played "Barracuda." What would they encore with? I think they're done."

Though he made a good point, I was soon proven right when Heart retook the stage to thunderous applause. And to answer his question, they opened with a Led Zeppelin cover, "What Is and What Never Should Be," which soon turned into "What About Love," finishing it off with another familiar hit.

The lights came on and the crowd prepared themselves for the Rooster's arrival (read: ordered drinks, two at a time).

At 9:45 p.m. the lights went down and the big screens on either side of the stage awoke. A video montage began playing, party scenes in both Mexico and the United States, with a variety of stars welcoming us to Cabo Wabo. ("This is Toby Keith... welcome to Cabo Wabo!" "This is Kenny Chesney... welcome to Cabo Wabo!" "This is Emeril Lagasse... welcome to Cabo Wabo! " Wait... what?)

The former Van Halen frontman took the stage, and the crowd went bananas. He opened with "There's Only One Way to Rock" and then brought his fans to a fever pitch with "I Can't Drive 55" and "Why Can't This Be Love?"

After the opening stanza he bantered with the crowd and with a host of waitresses who were on stage with him. "Waitress, I need a drink! I drove here, but I got someone else driving me home!" Throughout his set he had waitresses bringing him cocktails, many of which he shared with folks in the crowd.

He is a quintessential frontman, and I can now see how he has developed such an adoring fan base. His charm resonates to the back of the house, and that's no mean feat when you're playing a packed baseball stadium.

After a song I didn't recognize, he went into my favorite portion of his set. Meaning, he played songs that I both knew and liked. Following Heart's lead, he covered some Zeppelin, playing "Whole Lotta Love" into "Kashmir" back into "Whole Lotta Love." He then played probably his biggest Van Halen hit, "Right Now," which I remember as the music video that made me read. If I wanted to read, I wouldn't be watching music videos, now would I?

After politely requesting a refill ("Waitress, can I have another cocktail please? Make it a double!"), he continued with a bunch of songs that sounded vaguely familiar. "Best of Both Worlds," "Mas Tequila," "Heavy Metal" and a few others that I'm not sure of. He commanded the stage with a youthful exuberance that belies his age. The cat is 62 years old, parties, well, like a rock star, but he looks and acts on stage like he's in his 30s.

Someone should do a study on the age reversing properties of Cabo Wabo tequila. All I'm saying is that if one were going to go looking for the fountain of youth, they might want to start in Guadalajara.

He closed his set with Van Halen's ode to sexual frustration, "Finish What You Started," and thanked the crowd for a great night. There was an 11 o'clock curfew, and he followed it to the letter. It was the only time he acted his age all night.

Getting real with Antwone Fisher and Ricky Ross

2010-05-29T07:36:34Z

Overcoming the life and lure of crime was one of multiple topics discussed by Antwone Fisher and Ricky ‘Freeway’ Ross at the “Sacramento Youth Gets Up Close & Personal with the ‘Real’ Antwone Fisher” event at the George Sim Community Center.

“I had to find protection,” said Fisher as he described his days of being emancipated and entering a men’s shelter. “Butch, this guy who was my protector, gave me a job and my job was to collect money from the prostitutes who worked for him.”

“He was the first person, that I felt, who really cared about me.”

Fisher discussed his time with Butch, and how it came to an end.

“He also had these cards that had addresses on them, and people he would send to me to get these cards from me, they would give me $200, $300, whatever they had written on the back, that’s how much they would give me for the card,” said Fisher.

“So I had this regular customer that would always hold the card for him, and this particular day he didn’t show up. So when I gave Butch all the money, whatever I had that card was with it, and when he saw it he just started beating me up.”

“Everybody who had been my friend, or I thought were my friends up to that time, was just standing around watching. And I couldn’t understand why he got so upset about it. And when I ask when it was all over, it was explained to me that drug addicts were exchanging their children for heroin. Those addresses were where the children were.”

“After that, I left and went back to the shelter and got some of my things out of the trunk in the storeroom and I left.”

Ross’ desire to leave the life of crime and channel his energy elsewhere occurred as he served time in prison for drug trafficking.

“I started off on the wrong path,” said Ross. “The only opportunities that I saw was in my neighborhood. The things I thought I was going to be able to survive on was hemp, dope dealing, hustling, gang banging; none of the other things that I see now were even an option for me at that time.”

Ross, who garnered the nickname “Freeway” due to the numerous properties he owned along the Harbor Freeway in Los Angeles, is otherwise known for the drug ring he presided over in Los Angeles during the early 1980s.

“It took me getting incarcerated, facing a life sentence, to really find out who I was,” said Ross. “Even though I made over a million dollars a day, maybe more, a still had a low self esteem about myself.”

Ross recalled how he was too embarrassed to tell his lawyer he couldn’t read or write. He took a legal document from his lawyer back to his cell and gained a desire to read it.

“When that desire came, I learned how to read,” said Ross. “In two weeks, I could remember every word on the page, I could remember what they meant, and I understood what they were saying.”

“What that taught me is I could do anything if I really put my mind and heart to it and if I have a reason.”

While in prison, Ross wrote two books, three movie scripts, and came up with ideas for two reality shows.

Fisher served in the United States Navy for eleven years, followed by work as a Federal Correctional Officer and a security officer at Sony Pictures. Fisher has worked in Hollywood for sixteen years as a writer and producer, with fourteen writing projects with the major studios to his credit. This includes work on Rush Hour, Antwone Fisher, and Training Day.

The event was organized by the City of Sacramento’s Neighborhood Services Department, in partnership with Black Men Who Mean Business (BMWMB).

Councilmember Kevin McCarty was also in attendance.

Local organization aims to empower youth through poetry

2010-04-19T17:40:41Z

A youth mentor for a local educational program said he used poetry to see himself through a difficult past.

Coon, a 15-year-old high school sophomore, was walking home when he was shot three times. One bullet hit his spine and ricocheted into his lung.

"I was hanging out with somebody who really wasn't my friend, and I pretty much took on their beef, their issues, and I was guilty by association," he said. "I've never been in a gang or anything like that. You don't have to be (involved) in a gang for something bad to happen to you."

Asking to be referred to only by his last name (and stage name), Coon channeled the pain from his wounds and started taking his writing and poetry seriously as soon as he left the hospital. He joined a musical group and, with his friend TroubleSin, became part of a spoken word team called E-legal Tag Team.

The two are now poet mentors for Sacramento Area Youth Speaks, which uses innovative methods to help Sacramento-area kids learn. Since last year, SAYS, part of the University at California at Davis School of Education, has empowered youth by giving them a voice through poetry.

SAYS will inaugurate its poetry slam season Wednesday night at the Roberts Family Center, and the season will culminate May 7 at the 2010 SAYS Youth Summit at the Mondavi Center. Youth ages 13 to 19 are invited to participate, and the preliminary rounds, held at a different venue each night, will be open to the public.

"We can all talk about pipelining youth into college, but that's empty unless their hearts are here," said Dr. Vajra Watson, founder of SAYS and a former Bay Area high school teacher. "I saw firsthand the perils of education as well as the opportunities, and I became an advocate for young people to seek insight into their own lives."

So in January 2009, Watson founded SAYS, which partners with the Twin Rivers and Sacramento City school districts as well as the city's Office of Youth Development and the Sierra Health Foundation.

The program holds an assembly at a participating school, a writing workshop and eventually, after-school programs. During the school year, a poet mentor, who has gone through a six-week training course, pairs with a class, making lesson plans, mentoring students and helping the teacher engage with students in "living literacy" programs.

"The underlying philosophy is reaching and teaching the youth," said Watson. "We underestimate young people. They're ready to grab the mic. Are we ready to listen?"

Demand from students led to the poetry slam season. The program, which began in January 2009, grew to 350 people by May. Its popularity brought the first annual SAYS Summit, drawing youth from five school districts.

After attending a day of workshops with alternative educators and local poets, the youngsters participated in a poetry slam, competing and showcasing their stories. SAYS had to turn away poets. Teachers also received training at the summit.

Charday Adams, Grant High School senior, won the slam.

"Youth Speaks gave me an opportunity to write, discover who I was and define some emotions I had," she said. "I found myself wanting to read more books and explore more sensations; it gave me a better view of myself."

Watson said the program also employs youth as poet mentors because they can connect more deeply with students, making their work more relevant.

Coon agreed. The 20-year-old explained how he thinks of the students at Elinor Lincoln Hickey Junior-Senior High School, which he described as a charter school with mostly juvenile delinquents.

"I'm not an authority or an adult, I'm just like (them)," he said of students, adding, "I'm just trying to give (them) a way out. Sometimes it's the hardest to get them motivated because they've been institutionalized, but I let them know that I graduated from a continuational school."

Coon, who is also taking classes to become a juvenile probation officer, said he wants to get more school districts involved with SAYS because there are a lot of "silent poets" out there.

Adams wants to write for film and television and will attend the University of Southern California next year on a full-ride scholarship. "I definitely want to incorporate everything I learned," she said, adding, "a lot of people in spoken word are in screenwriting as well."

Poetry slam season will run from Wednesday to Saturday at a different venue each night. Semifinals will be held April 30 and May 1 at La Raza Galeria Posada, 1022 22nd St.

Finals will be May 7 at the Mondavi Center in Davis as part of the SAYS 2010 Youth Summit. It also will feature Def Poetry Jam poets Dennis Kim, Ise Life and Queen GodIs. UC Davis will host the professional development segment of the summit on May 15 for teachers.

More information on SAYS, the poetry slam season and the 2010 SAYS Summit is available at www.says.ucdavis.edu.

Photographs courtesy SAYS.

Sacramento Battles Gang Violence through "Addressing Thug Life"

2010-02-25T05:25:22Z

Organization leaders, educators, youth advisers and concerned parents met Tuesday at the Pannell Meadowview Community Center to hear Rayford Johnson speak on gang violence and the "thug" mentality.

About 40 audience members came in from all over the Sacramento area to be a part of this presentation.

This workshop was part two of six of the "Addressing Thug Life" workshop series held by the city of Sacramento and Faith Leaders Initiative.

Johnson is a photojournalist-turned-youth correctional adviser. He is also a licensed minister, author of the book, Thug Mentality Exposed, and director of the anti-gang initiative website, thugexposed.org.

Having spent time with inmates in California's correctional facilities , Johnson has firsthand experience with the effects of gang violence and has helped many with rehabilitation.

The workshop was the second part of Johnson's discussion, "Thugs Exposed," which referenced his book. His presentation focused on youth's inability to escape violent and sexual messages in music, the connection of drugs and violence and the actual roots of gang-related activities such as sagging and the word "thug."

Johnson's research on the subject is evident as he mixes scientific and historical data with positive spiritual messages.

"We know we are not going to solve these problems in six weeks, but we can increase awareness and share knowledge that may be beneficial to anyone genuinely interested in helping." said Khaalid Muttaqi, a workshop administrator.

Johnson answered questions throughout and the last portion of the presentation offered question and answer with the audience. A full dialogue occurred where Johnson, as well as other audience members, answered questions and provided feedback.

There will be four more parts to the "Addressing Thug Life workshop series:

March 9, George Sim Community Center, "Not Just the Boys" (Discussion of rising violent crime rates among young women)

March 16, George Sim Community Center, "How to Engage At-Risk Youth" (Ways to detect possible gang affiliation and communicate)

March 23, Robertson Community Center, "Running Effective Youth Programs" (Open forum for program managers)

March 30, Robertson Community Center, "Ins and Outs of the Penal System" (four members from different branches of the justice system discuss the penal system)

Muttaqi, a member of the Sacramento Department of Neighborhood Services, said the city of Sacramento is one of the worst cities in California for violent crimes. These workshops are planned as a strategy to provide local community members with the information they need to deter gang violence.

Sacramento Tree Foundation seek volunteers to get dirty

2010-02-12T21:17:57Z

Since 2002 the Sacramento Tree Foundation has been hard at work "building the best urban forest" in Sacramento and vicinity. The Foundation is openly looking for individuals to "get dirty" and to help in various tree planting activities.

According to their website, "Volunteering is a simple, fun way to make a difference in your community and the environment." Since the organization manages a number of sites and many locations need attention the actual part of the urban forest needing work will not be determined until about a week before the event.

One of the benefits of participation in tree-related activities sponsored by the Sacramento Tree Foundation is that volunteers will have access to space not ordinarily open to the public and be able to experience and enjoy natural areas not usually available to the general populace. The next scheduled maintenance is Saturday, February 27 from 9 AM until noon. All training, tools, and materials are provided by the Foundation on site.

You can register for this event by emailing volunteer@sactree.com.

You're invited to a Holiday Party benefiting Diogenes Youth Services

2009-12-09T00:35:08Z

You're invited to the 23rd Annual Christmas Party Extravaganza benefiting Diogenes Youth Services.

One of Sacramento's hottest holiday events. Whether you want to meet new Sacramentans, celebrate the holidays in style, or help at-risk youth in the Sacramento area, this event is not to miss. The party includes:

Catered Appetizers from Tuli, Zocalo, Hot Italian and Rail Bridge Cellars
Live Music by Utz and the Shuttlecocks
Valet Parking
A Full no-host Bar
Fashion Show presented by A&A Music Events
Special Performance by Sacramento Kings Dancers

When: Thursday, December 17, 2009
7:30pm - 11:30pm

Where: Niello Audi Dealership (2350 Auburn Blvd., Sacramento)

Tickets: $60 in advance, $75 at the door | Buy Tickets Online

Dress: Formal attire please

Visit www.christmaspartyextravaganza.com for more information.

All proceeds from this event go to Diogenes Youth Services. Diogenes started in 1969 as a counseling and crisis intervention center and has grown to become one of the only local non-profit agencies offering free comprehensive services focused primarily on 12 to 17 year-olds. On any given night there are at least 300-400 teens living on the streets in the Sacramento area and thousands more in crisis just one step away. For more than 40 years, Diogenes Youth Services has cared for these runaway, homeless and at-risk youth.

Interested in becoming a sponsor of this event? Email a board member to find out how.

Sacramento Building Healthy Communities

2009-12-01T20:19:49Z

On November 21, 2009, the Sacramento Building Healthy Communities collaborative hosted two events in Oak Park and South Sacramento, designed to educate communities on the 10-year Building Healthy Communities (BHC) process. Earlier this year, the California Endowment awarded funding to 14 communities over ten years as part of their Building Healthy Communities program. This effort was designed to infuse at least $10 million into each community to bring about systemic change. The efforts are to be driven by four goals:

• Health systems are family-centered and prioritize prevention.
• Schools anchor communities, promote healthy behaviors and are a gateway for resources and services.
• Human services systems are family-centered, prioritize prevention and promote opportunities for children, young adults and their families.
• Improved physical, social and economic environments in local communities.

South Sacramento was chosen by the Endowment as one of the target communities. The area includes all of Oak Park, Fruitridge Manor, Elder Creek, and parts of Curtis Park, Tahoe Park and both incorporated and unincorporated areas of South Sacramento.

Since March 2009, the collaborative has been working to put together the 10 year strategic plan for the area. Initial outreach has targeted 5,000 residents through community events, talking circles and surveys to gauge the communities’ views about their neighborhoods. Other activities have included several working groups that are focused on Infrastructure and Assets, Health Access and Youth Development..

In an industry where foundations often change funding focus every 5 years or so, the Endowment’s 10 year commitment marks an opportunity for communities to pull together long-term comprehensive planning and corresponding actions that can improve public environmental quality and health, as well as, the built environment and healthy food access to traditionally underserved communities.

This process provides a unique opportunity for this highly diverse and vibrant area that has been plagued by crime, obesity, foreclosures and disinvestment for decades. It allows the target communities to leverage the Endowment’s resources to attract additional private and public sector funding and technical assistance. In addition, the BHC initiative will help to increase civic pride and build bridges across ethnic, cultural and economic divides that have been historically difficult to create and sustain.

However, the greatest opportunity of this process will be achieved by deep and meaningful involvement of the residents, local business owners and community-based organizations themselves. As this process moves forward, outreach and resources need to continue to have significant and long term impact on these groups that ensures public safety, generates jobs, minimizes displacement, increases access to public transportation, makes streets safer for walking and biking, improves energy efficiency and rehabilitates and creates affordable housing that is of high quality.

Finally, my 5 year old son Miles attended the November 21st gathering in Oak Park with me and told the all adult working group that he wanted safer parks. Many comments had been made to that point, but none discussed the safety of our parks. Many of us take for granted the fact that our children lack safe areas in the community for recreation that they can access at all times. We must foster these activities and make them safe, clean, accessible and with many eyes on the parks and streets to ensure security.

In the end, it is all about our children. As we lay the building blocks for the future we must ensure that what we build today creates a path toward a greater quality of life for the next generation.

This selection originally appeared on the Ubuntu Green blog. http://blog.ubuntugreen.org/

Rainbow Chamber of Commerce Gala to Feature TV Host Guy Farris

2009-08-28T18:47:11Z

The Sacramento Rainbow Chamber of Commerce will hold its 3rd Annual Installation Dinner on Tuesday, Sept. 22, at the Radisson Hotel Sacramento. Guy Farris, co-host of News 10’s popular TV magazine program, Sacramento & Co., will serve as Master of Ceremonies.

The evening will begin with cocktails at 5:30 p.m., followed by dinner and live auction with auctioneer David Sobon of Maximum Benefit Auctions at 6:30 p.m. Auction offerings will include fine wine and dining packages, exotic travel and other luxury items.

All proceeds from the dinner and auction will benefit the Rainbow Chamber Foundation, a non-profit organization supporting programs for at-risk youth and other causes.

The evening program will include Foundation scholarship presentations and installation of the Chamber’s 2009-10 Board of Directors. Tickets are $75 through Aug. 31, $85 Sept. 1 and after. Sponsorship opportunities are available for as little as $100. Visit www.rainbowchamber.com for more information.

Event sponsors include Wells Fargo, Outword Magazine, SMUD, Sacramento Gay & Lesbian Center, Rainbow Pages/VRP.info, CARES, Le Rivage Hotel, Greenberg Traurig, Sestak Lighting Design and Equality California.

Before joining Sacramento & Co., L.A. native Farris began his television career as a production assistant at Sacramento’s KOVR/Channel 13, then traveled to Gold 33 News at Seven and the WB Las Vegas, where his entertainment reports and celebrity interviews aired on Sinclair Broadcasting’s 40-plus stations nationwide. As part of the NorthWest Cable News morning anchor team in Seattle, Farris interviewed some of Hollywood’s biggest stars, including Jennifer Lopez, Will Smith, Sandra Bullock and Hugh Grant. His irreverent style has earned him numerous Emmy nominations, culminating in a win for Best Entertainment Anchor in 2002. He also was named Seattle Magazine's “It Anchor.”

Nine Rainbow Chamber 2009-2010 officers and board members will be officially installed at the event:
• President/CEO Fred Palmer, publisher of Outword Magazine, elected to a third term
• Vice President Steven Walker, CEO of Fast Break Tech Inc., elected to a fourth term
• Secretary Stephanie Slagel, State Farm Insurance agent, elected to her first term
• Treasurer Jason Russell, CPA, of accounting firm Marcia Fritz & Company, elected to a fourth term
• Brian Bentzen, Pampered Chef host, elected to a second term
• Gerald Filice, Esq., of Filice Law Offices, elected to a second term
• Roy Guira, stylist, The Associates Salon, elected to a second term
• Dr. Darrick Lawson, owner of The Healing Touch Chiropractic, elected to a first term
• Bonnie Osborn, owner of public relations company WriteAway Communications Services, elected to a second term

Palmer, who was elected Aug. 18 to his third term as Chamber president, said the large field of highly qualified board candidates was a reflection of the Chamber’s recent membership growth and expansion of services. In the past year, the Chamber has doubled its membership to 260 members, hired its first paid administrative staff, and significantly increased the number of networking and professional development events it provides.

The Rainbow Chamber Foundation (www.rcfdn.org) was established in 2007 as a 501c3 organization. In 2008 and 2009, the Foundation donated approximately $5,000 to programs for at-risk gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender youth and their allies, and awarded two $1,000 college scholarships.

The purpose of the Sacramento Rainbow Chamber of Commerce is to promote networking among the gay and lesbian business community and its supporters; to enhance awareness of political and social issues; and to encourage involvement in charitable causes. For more information about the Sacramento Rainbow Chamber of Commerce, visit www.rainbowchamber.com.

The Wall Youth Center Opens Doors at Ribbon Cutting in New Location

2009-08-04T16:44:34Z

Reborn from the defunct North Area Teen Center, the after-school youth center serving young people across the area is now known as The Wall. With a new location at 5933 Sutter Ave. just off Fair Oaks Blvd, services will be expanding to include cooking classes, financial and insurance management, music and art programs.

The celebration and Grand Opening Saturday August 1, 2009 brought supporters and friends to share the excitement at the new after-school youth service center. As parent’s thoughts turn to ‘back to school’ The Wall will be there to provide a safe, supervised place for kids in the ‘latch key’ hours between school’s end and parents coming home from work.

NASCAR Star of Tomorrow Jonathon Mawhinney, racing this season at Roseville’s All American Raceway, is a peer role model and inspiration for the “Pennies From Heaven” coin fundraising drive.

Got Pennies?
Come visit the center, talk with parents and kids or just come by to donate to The Wall’s “Pennies from Heaven” fundraiser. Drop off your jar of coins, dish of coppers or clean out the car seats and the couch to donate those pennies to the youth center, a half block east of Fair Oaks and Sutter. The Wall is challenging the kids and the community to donate enough change to stack pennies a hundred miles high! A virtual goal celebrating Carmichael’s 100th Anniversary this Fall.

Learn more about donating your pennies, The Wall Youth Foundation and its programs by visiting, www.thewallcarmichael.com, or call 916-482-2088.

Local groups and businesses can sponsor a Penny Stacking Team to see who sets the World Record for stacking penny coins as part of the festivities for Carmichael’s 100th Founder’s Day Anniversary celebration in September. Call Executive Director Jim Vargas at 916-335-0804.

Young artists transform communities

2009-07-03T01:07:54Z

For the past three months, young people from 10 to 21 years of age have come together in Sacramento once a week to discuss their role in their physical environment.

As part of the Youth Voices for Change initiative, the group called the Sactown Heroes collaborated with UC Davis scholars, artists and graduate students to explore their community, what they like about it and what could change. The culminating event on Tuesday was a presentation of their findings to the community.

14-year-old Bradly Palmer said he would change "where youth are welcome and where they are hired for jobs. Some places discriminate against youth because they think they're trouble-makers."

He is a student at West Sacramento Early College-Prep Charter School, and is able to explore his surroundings with cameras, video and audio equipment that he is trained to use.

"I set up a lot of the Google maps, the graphics, and I took videos of my favorite places and what I dislike about the community," Palmer said.

The Google maps have digital, color-coded thumbtacks on local businesses and parks that the students have explored with their equipment. They are later able to add audio commentary about what they like and dislike about the areas.

"They are the people that are using the spaces the most often. It's really important what those people using the spaces think about those places," said Patsy Eubanks Owens, an associate professor of landscape and architecture.

"I think what's key about this is you have young people who care enough about their communities to spend every week learning what's out there," said Diane Littlefield, a senior program officer with the Sierra Health Foundation. She continued to say that students are "willing to roll up their sleeves and take action and improve the environment in which they live."

Jessica Rice, a future ninth-grade student at River City High School, recounted a beautification project she took part in, "We planted flowers in front of the preschool, we decorated the benches with decorative rocks and it's really nice."

The Youth Voices for Regional Change is part of a larger crusade called Healthy Youth Healthy Regions program at UC Davis. Jesikah Maria Ross, director of the UC Davis program the Art of Regional Change, said the program poses the question, "How is the impact of how youth perceive their places related to the well-being and prosperity of the region?" She concludes, "By studying this, we can give policy makers some recommendations for change."

The Sierra Health Foundation and the California Endowment are funding this program as part of a policy program. "What we're hoping to do is understand better the conditions that affect young people in terms of their health, economics, environment and education," said Littlefield.

West Sacramento Mayor, Christopher Cabaldon, was also in attendance and he encouraged students, "Make Facebook comments on my page," to further stimulate dialogue on their insights.

The program is funded as part of a two-year study with findings projected to be public in fall of 2010 that will inform grant making and the allocation of resources. Littlefield emphasized, "This is real data, this is research done by young people."

After the two-year study is completed, the students and program advisers hope to continue the spirit of this organization in other neighborhoods, and even nationally. "It kind of might change the social norm by looking to young people for some of the solutions," said Littlefield.

For more information, click the following links:
The Art of Regional Change
Healthy Youth/Healthy Regions

What's happening at the Capitol: June 22, 23

2009-06-22T01:16:45Z

Monday, June 22

11:30 a.m.- 2 p.m. 100 people from Californians for Disability Rights will rally on the north steps of the Capitol for health issues in the budget.

Tuesday, June 23

10 a.m.- 1 p.m. 500 children and their parents will convene at the west steps of the Capitol for the California Children's Rally, a celebratory, kid-friendly rally.

Here is the group's schedule of events:

10 a.m.: Kids ring school bell and get things started at the Annual California Children’s Rally Kazoo Parade
“Students First: Children Speak About the Mission of Public Education,” a dialogue to define the mission of public education in California
10:30 a.m.: Informational hearing on SB604 [which elicits public input to determine the core values and mission of public education in California] in room 4202 with State Senator Gloria Romero
Parents for Public Schools (San Francisco), Parents Revolution/Parents Union (Lost Angeles), The Lemonade Initiative (Lost Angeles), other parents TBA
Ben Austin, Lemonade Initiative; Parents
State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O’Connell
Assemblywoman Julia Brownley introduces AB8, a bill to simplify the mysterious money-spewing “Dr. Seuss Rube Goldberg Machine”* that is California public school funding
- * a giant contraption to be built live on the Capitol steps by the children, with Trash for Teaching‘s Beth Elliott
Noon – 1 p.m. POTLUCK Picnic Lunch/Celebration
The Burning Moms Hammer Pants Dance
A final toast by Sandra Tsing Loh to ALL PUBLIC SCHOOL MOTHERS
The Angry Tired Teachers’ Rock ’n’ Roll Dance Finish!
1 – 4 p.m. Families may use this time to visit their legislators. No appointments are needed (you don’t even need to knock!), but a bit of preparation will help you learn about your legislators. You can expect to at least meet with their staff. Here’s a helpful link.

Update: VIBE Youth Lounge gains funding and support

2009-06-05T01:06:11Z

On Wednesday night, members of the VIBE foundation's Youth Leadership Board met at their 3,000 square-foot future lounge site, a building donated to them by the Sacramento Housing Redevelopment Agency, to discuss their recent accomplishments and funding plans.

The youth lounge, which is scheduled to open in August, aims to provide a safe and fun environment conducive to the success of its youth members. In addition to after-school tutoring, the lounge will offer a game area and career center with a network of resources to help teens find jobs, internships and apprenticeships.

VIBE is an all-volunteer organization, and the entirety of its fundraising efforts have been conducted by the VIBE Youth Leadership Board, composed of around 15 teens. Christina Giffin has been serving as the adult project lead and as an adviser to the youth that has been overseeing the project and lending a hand or guidance wherever needed.

For the past two years, Giffin and the youth board have been collaborating on research, creating a business plan and meeting with people who will play a role in the creation of the lounge.

"During this time, Vibe has remained low-profile because we wanted a strong and compelling final product to showcase to the community," Giffin said.

At Wednesday's meeting, Chair David Schenirer reminded the Youth Leadership Board that their project is "revolutionary" and is unique to the entire nation in that the model was dreamt up and is being executed by youth.

"I think the thing that impresses me the most about VIBE is the attitude of the youth involved. Their dedication to an idea and their goal sets an example for youth everywhere," said Ben Wangerg, a Youth Aide for the Sacramento County Office of Education who is coordinating the Regional Opportunity Program project with VIBE.

As a way to cut costs once the lounge is open, around 75 teen employees per year will be paid with school credit through ROP credits instead of actual paychecks.

While it is undoubtedly a hard time in the economy to secure funding for any type of project, the lounge has still gained momentum and has begun to catch the eye of community members, including Sacramento City Councilman Steve Cohn, who is helping to get the word out about the lounge.

Scheduled for a soft opening in August, the VIBE Youth Leadership Board is working diligently to hammer out the final details in the coming months.

The teens' dedication to the lounge is paying off. The foundation was recently granted a $10,000 check from Wells Fargo that will be given to them by month's end, a huge accomplishment for the teens who have been left to their own devices to secure funding.

They will be continuing fundraising efforts in the coming months through their capital campaign, with a goal of raising $500,000 by December of this year.

On Monday, June 15, the VIBE foundation will be holding a meeting and delivering a presentation to potential backers. Invitations to the meeting have been sent to various organizations, philanthropists and people who may be able to contribute to the lounge's financial needs.

To shave costs, a network of adults has been contacted to volunteer time and services, including community members like Peter Castles of the Hoyt Company, who will be assisting with marketing and public relations. Other adult volunteers will include contractors, web designers and artists for their planned July participation in Downtown's Second Saturday Art Walk.

The tentative business hours for the lounge are 4-9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 4-10 p.m. Friday and 5-10 p.m. Saturday. These hours allow teens to be home before the city's mandated 10 p.m. curfew on weekdays and time to get to the center after school gets out.

The VIBE Urban Lounge will be located at 1725 K St. For more information, visit thevibefoundation.org or e-mail Christina Giffin at christina@thevibefoundation.org

The graphics above are architectural renderings of the proposed lounge, created by designers Stantec and Mas Mojica

The group photo is of the VIBE Youth Leadership Board.

Game Plan Academy (GPA): Thankful for a tremendous success!

2009-05-14T06:08:25Z

Thanks.

Thank you.

We are thankful.

Thanks to Coach John Fleming at Hiram Johnson High School for making his classrooms and fields available these past eight Sundays for Game Plan Academy (GPA).

Please VOTE for Hiram Johnson High School (by clicking here) in Kellogg's 'Plant a Seed' program to "Help Rebuild America's Playing Fields."

Here is a message from John Fleming, Athletic Director and Head Football Coach at Hiram Johnson High School, about this wonderful competition:

"Hiram Johnson has nominated our football field for a make-over by Kelloggs. Out of 3,400 nominations, we were selected as a semi-finalist. 30 of the 100 semi-finalists will receive a $15,000 upgrade to the facility. Now, it is in the hands of the public who vote at frostedflakes.com. Take a moment to cast your vote. You can vote 1 time per day for each e-mail address that you have. We are currently in 2nd place in the voting, and the students are energized. You can vote through the end of the month. Please also let your contacts know about this opportunity for Hiram Johnson High School and ask them to vote. Together we can make a difference!"

Vote each day, for each email address, through the end of the month. Thanks.

Game Plan Academy (GPA) wrapped up this past Sunday with flying colors. Guest speaker Marty McNeal -- a longtime standout and legendary sports journalist for the Sacramento Bee -- spoke to students about his colorful career interviewing and writing about the greatest athletes of all-time, ranging from Muhammad Ali to Michael Jordan to Kobe Bryant, and many more. After Mary Mac regaled students, coaches, and parents with memorable stories, the Assistant General Manager and General Counsel for the Sacramento Kings, Jason Levien, shared tales from his career as a sports agent representing Udonis Haslem, Earnest Graham, Hedo Turkoglu, and Kevin Martin, among others. His presentation stressed the importance of persevering in the face of adversity, when others count you out, and the supreme value of relationships -- you never know when a friend, contact, or person will enter your life and present you with an opportunity that you never could have predicted nor imagined. Together, Jason and Marty did a fabulous job following in the big foot steps that Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson left last week (watch KJ on YouTube by clicking here). Students -- the reason GPA exists -- enjoyed their final workout with Alex Van Dyke and Gio Carmazzi, laughing and smiling while working hard to improve their football skills and conditioning; and, then reflected while completing their final classroom session. At the end of the day, students participated in a special GPA Graduation Ceremony (*See pictures above), receiving diplomas, camp photos, and Player Packs in recognition of their awesome efforts throughout the program.

In its first rendition, GPA was a tremendous success.

Thanks to all those who made GPA possible.

It was Good.

A red carpet affair for Sacramento's young filmmakers

2009-05-13T06:47:10Z

Cameras flashing, limos, tuxedos and dresses: Thursday night at the Crest Theater, a film premier event will roll out the red carpet for a selection of bright young screenwriters, directors and actors.

But there will be no Hollywood A-listers -- in fact, you won't even pay to get into this event showcasing the brightest young filmmakers from Sacramento-area high schools and middle schools.

Sponsored by the Center for Multicultural Cooperation (CMC) and Sacramento Chinese Community Service Center (SCCSC), the premier will display three different types of films: youth voice stories and intergenerational stories that are both several minutes long, and 30-second anti-tobacco public service announcements.

For the youth voice stories, "we give them opportunities to share their voice, their reflections on who they are and their role in their community," said Nicole Jarred, Sacramento Regional Director of the CMC.

The youth voice stories range from a drama about gang violence and drug use to a piece about the high school dropout rate to school violence and bullying. "These students have dedicated tons of hours of service as volunteers after school every day to answer: What is my community?" Jarred added.

Students from schools submitted more than one film, and one high school in particular -- Hiram Johnson High in South Sacramento -- will be sharing three intergenerational story films and one PSA. The intergenerational stories will be on a former field-working Hispanic man who has now graduated from UC Berkeley, a veteran of both WWII and the Korean War, and a Vietnamese man who was forced into a communist re-education camp for 10 years before emigrating to the United States.

"Kids from Hiram Johnson are second-language kids, or they come from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, and when you show them these storytellers, you show them a different world that they don't get to see, so they can see themselves in different places now," said Hiram Johnson High School teacher David Varella, who donated his own cameras to the youth to film their projects.

To round out the night, there are also eight anti-tobacco PSAs, which run for 30 seconds each. After they are all screened, a panel of judges, many of who are from the Sacramento Youth Commission, will choose the best one, and the PSA will be shown in local theaters.

The idea is that "for every dollar you spend in smoking prevention, you save $3 in health care," said SCCSC project director Shane Brock. As part of an initiative called Prop 99, the youth will be "addressing the issue of outdoor secondhand smoke and how to cut back on tobacco use in the youth-rated [G, PG, PG-13] media," he added.

"Tobacco is still the no. 1 preventable cause of death in the United States, and secondhand smoke is the third-leading cause of death for those who do not smoke," said Brock.

Brock also said that more than $1,000 dollars in prizes will be awarded Thursday night, and Mayor Johnson, the city superintendents and board of supervisors were invited.

City of Sacramento recognizes outstanding local youth

2009-05-08T03:15:23Z

In an effort to shed light on the often-unnoticed positive efforts of Sacramento's youth, the City of Sacramento and Fox 40 News have created a "Youth of the Month" program and will announce their first award early next week.

"Basically, it was seen that there’s always news value with youth and in the mainstream sometimes it's not always of positive images,” said Hindolo Brima, Public Information Officer for Sacramento Parks and Recreation and the Office of Youth Development, “But we all know there’s a lot of youth helping to make the city a better place and need to remind people that youth are contributing to the city."

The collaboration is a part of the Sacramento Office of Youth Development's overall goal to make Sacramento a more youth-friendly city. Anyone who believes a youth, who must be a resident of Sacramento and from 12 to 18 years old, should be recognized for their good deeds is encouraged to fill out an application at the office's website.

There are no limits to the good deeds that can be recognized, and youth can be nominated for academic achievements, reaching a milestone, volunteering, or any other contribution made to his or her community.

"This is really a chance to see how many wonderful things that our youth are doing for our city," said Brima.

Brima explained that the application process was designed to be simple. After being submitted online or through the mail, the applications are then given to a group of staff from the Office of Youth Development. From there, the nominations are passed on to the Youth Commission and are reviewed before being narrowed down to one.

The chosen nominee from each month will receive a plaque and $200 in addition to being featured on Fox 40 News. At the end of the year, all of the awarded nominees will be invited to a reception.

Currently in its first month, the program has already received numerous applications, and Brima said they are expecting to receive hundreds more next month as the program gains more recognition.

The chosen nominee will be announced at the next Sacramento City Council meeting, which will be held at 6 p.m.on Tuesday, May 12. Nominations are currently being accepted for June at www.cityofsacramento.org/youth-development/YouthoftheMonth.html.

Mayor Kevin Johnson speaks at Game Plan Academy (GPA): Remember to Give Back

2009-05-05T19:04:50Z

"5:30 in the morning."

"Euphemism."

"Saturday night."

Mayor Kevin Johnson shared his authentic tales of the past with student-athletes at Game Plan Academy (GPA) this past Sunday at Hiram Johnson High School, leaving them with with one final message in the process: "Give back. Whatever you do, always remember to give back."

Remembering the days when he scored 48 points in the Hiram Johnson High School gymnasium as a standout Sacramento High School student-athlete who led the state of California in scoring, Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson was simply "KJ" for the day, mixing in humor with serious pleas while expressing words of encouragement and sharing pearls of wisdom and lessons learned by telling some memorable stories:

5:30 in the morning. When KJ first arrived at UC Berkeley as a freshman, his coach informed the basketball team to report to practice the next day at 5:30 in the morning. "I didn't believe him, so I didn't go. I showed up to the afternoon practice at 3:00 PM, and my coach asked me where I was. I didn't think people woke up that early to workout," KJ reflected, smiling warmly as he reminisced with the GPA audience. Finishing the story, the next day, KJ showed up tired, half-asleep, and in a poor mood at the 5:30 AM workout, surprised to find that his teammates were bright awake, in high spirits, working hard on their games. The moral of the story: Change your attitude. KJ learned quickly how to have a positive attitude at 5:30 in the morning while leading the Cal Bears basketball team.

Euphemism. KJ's next 'lesson learned' emerged in the classroom during his first few days of class at UC Berkeley. Immersed amongst students discussing euphemisms fluently with gusto, KJ felt lost and out of place: "I felt this big," motioning to the students with a small space between his thumb and first finger, indicating that his confidence reached an all-time low: "I went home and called my grandma and told her I wanted to quite; I wanted to leave Cal. But, she told me that Johnson's are not quitters, to look up the word euphemism, and to go back to class and participate," KJ shared. (Aside: KJ asked GPA students to define euphemism, promising $20 for the correct answer, but no one could communicate the definition of this concept successfully). Of course, showing his determination, KJ bounced back from this initial challenge -- "I was not prepared for college," he stated -- to graduate from Cal with a degree in Political Science. The moral of the story: From this experience, KJ learned that "everything you do now matters," referring to the college preparation that occurs during the formative high school years. He capped this telling story by reiterating that Game Plan Academy provides academic support and 'tricks of the trade' -- SAT prep, college counseling, etc. -- that will help prepare students to succeed in college.

Saturday night. During his senior year at UC Berkeley, one Saturday night, KJ was working out in the gym -- his customary practice at the time-- when a janitor approached him, "Kevin. You are here every Saturday night. Shouldn't you be out doing something else?" "Not if I want to get to where I want to go," KJ recalled his response. The moral of the story: In athletics, academics, and the game of life, achieving goals requires consistent sacrifices, such as working out or doing homework and reading on Saturday nights, just as KJ did as a motivated student-athlete at Cal. KJ went on to enjoy stardom in the NBA, actualizing his many years of focused preparation.

The Dunk & Give Back. KJ wrapped up his presentation by reliving his historic dunk over Hakeem "The Dream" Olajuwon (click here to view on YouTube!) in Game 7 of the NBA playoffs, marking, perhaps, the highlight of his NBA career. Now, serving as Mayor of Sacramento, Kevin Johnson hopes to produce the highlight of his life thus far by giving back to the Sacramento community as a responsible, energetic, and creative public servant.

Despite the heavy rain this past Sunday, GPA students turned out with passionate energy, stretching their physical conditioning and football skills indoors in the gym while training (*See pictures above of 'dynamic yoga' exercises -- hard work, indeed!) with former NFL players Gio Carmazzi and Alex Van Dyke -- two professional, world-class athletes, who, like KJ, are giving back to their community -- expanding their world views by listening to KJ's call to "Dream Big Dreams" and to "Set the Bar High," and sharpening their academic abilities by preparing for the Math section of the SAT and drafting their Personal Statements for their college applications. This powerful, comprehensive student development combination of athletic and academic mentorship services captures the platform that Game Plan Academy (GPA) provides for Sacramento youth who normally would not have access to these resources. It's our way of giving back to the Sacramento community that has given us so much.

Remember to give back.

Good.

Game Plan Academy (GPA) students 'GoDoGood' & serve at Sacramento Food Bank

2009-04-29T07:14:24Z

One of the keys to serving local communities effectively is supporting existing institutions that already provide valuable services. The Sacramento Food Bank is one such institution.

This past Saturday, Game Plan Academy (GPA) students assembled alongside GPA mentors, Jesuit High School alumni, teachers, students, parents, and staff as part of a GoDoGood project. The mission of GoDoGood is to capture people's energy to 'do good' and put these passions into action in local communities. The Sacramento Food Bank provides an excellent outlet for Sacramentans who want to 'do good' for those in need in a well-organized, structured, and warm, supportive environment. GoDoGood brought a talented, diverse, and motivated group of Sacramento residents together to give back to the community that has given them so many blessings. Staff members and leaders at the Sacramento Food Bank, a long-standing Sacramento organization that does a tremendous amount of 'good', remarked that our energetic group of volunteers accomplished a significant amount of helpful work -- remarks like "Where have you been all my life?" and "This is tremendous; you guys are awesome" were made.

Then, on Sunday, building on momentum from Saturday, Game Plan Academy (GPA) participants and coaches assembled for another high impact session. Spirits were high both on the football field and in the classroom, and Dr. Rich Callahan from the University of Southern California (USC) capped off the day remarkably well with a powerful presentation on the importance of practice, self-confidence and determination, and making progress in life 'inch-by-inch' -- we should all keep our eyes open for those 'inches', the little opportunities and openings, that we can take advantage of throughout our lives.

Game Plan Academy (GPA) and the Sacramento Food Bank represent two manifestations of Sacramento natives' continuous efforts to GoDoGood, but there are many other wonderful people, groups, and organizations throughout the region 'doing good' each and every day -- that's what makes Sacramento a kindred community of 'people helping people'.

GoDoGoodSacramento.

Good.

He Came, he gamed and left "Magic" in the Hearts of Those Who Knew Him

2009-04-23T21:37:15Z

For his friends he was a tenacious fighter known for his fairness, and remembered for his love of the games. Former A-1 Comics Store Manager, Joe Guardalibene passed away but his strong example of the importance of knowing right from wrong lives on. Many of the kids who played in his game tournaments, including the popular Magic games, discovered a role model who inspired them beyond the game board.

Joe was an important part of the Sacramento gaming community for over 8 years. He made many friends managing a local comic book and gaming store where he took great pride in keeping up to date on the latest popular games, comics, anime and was an expert on the market for older comic collectibles. Participants say he was one of the best around at running Magic and other types of tournaments. Joe was tenacious, with a strong sense of right from wrong. If Joe said he was going to do something, he made sure the job got done. He will be greatly missed.

Avrom Oliver owner of Adventure in Comics and Games and Mary Beth Avila choose to honor Joes’ life with a Memorial Magic Charity Tournament with proceeds benefiting The Wall Youth Center in Carmichael.

On Saturday April 18th fifty players showed up to honor Joe’s legacy and enjoy the game of Magic. Jason Smyth and Chia Lee battled round after round with Smyth taking home first prize in the tourney.

The Memorial Tournament raised $455.00 for the youth center where Joe is still remembered by the kids who played the games.

Learn more about The Wall Youth Center by visiting, www.thewallcarmichael.com

Game Plan Academy (GPA): The Little Things and People Helping People

2009-04-23T03:10:41Z

Remember, it's the little things that matter in life.

As an entertaining reminder, watch Game Plan Academy's first edited football footage video here:

www.youtube.com/watch

"Great job. Way to hustle, stay focused. It's the little things that are going to change our games -- it's the little things," shares Alex Van Dyke with the GPA students. This is what GPA is all about; mentorship in action--sharing the 'little things' and those perceptive 'tricks-of-the-trade' that will help students succeed in the classroom, on the playing field, and, ultimately, in the game of life.

With wise, warm words of encouragement flowing at Game Plan Academy (GPA), bonding between mentors and students has grown strong. Everyone in the GPA program has formed new friendships, strengthened existing relationships, and reflected on the importance that these interactions play in their lives. No one, from Tiger Woods to Lebron James to President Obama, achieves success without strong, continual support from a community of people. We all have our "Personal Board of Directors" comprised of our role-models, mentors, family members, friends, and fans -- never take these people for granted -- and without these support systems in place, each of us would surely be in different, less successful places. Thankfully, through positive, structured programs like Game Plan Academy, community members band together to help each other out, building more robust support networks for all members of their community along the way. When you need support, your "Personal Board of Directors" will be there for you, through 'thick and thin', to help you persevere and surmount challenges and obstacles. Through our intensive mentorship intervention at Game Plan Academy, we hope that students expand their "Personal Boards" and utilize GPA as a springboard for unleashing their tremendous talents and abilities to accomplish great feats as leaders in this world.

In fact, GPA students will operationalize their leadership skills this Saturday, April 25th, by volunteering as a group at the Sacramento Food Bank (SFB is a tremendous organization): this is the full-circle of 'people helping people' in action. Today, I attended the Sacramento Community Services Planning Council's 'People Helping People Awards' at the Radisson Hotel. Mayor Kevin Johnson spoke about his vision to make Sacramento the top volunteer involvement city in the state of California through efforts like Hands On Sacramento. Game Plan Academy is one civic-minded project that reflects Sacramento's strong culture for volunteerism, social innovation, and community service. Students who graduate from GPA know how to be 'people helpers' for others in their local communities throughout their lives--a gift that keeps on giving.

As always, I invite community members to join us this Saturday from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM at the Sacramento Food Bank (3333 3rd Avenue) to lend a hand for those in need. We also love to see community members out each Sunday at Hiram Johnson High School from 10:30 AM to 2:30 PM, watching our excellent student-athletes in action.

Cheers to all 'people helping people' efforts throughout Sacramento; let's keep building a community that serves.

I am a proud Sacramentan.

Game Plan Academy (GPA): half-time

2009-04-08T05:36:47Z

"Tweet!"

Coach Alex Van Dyke, a former NFL wide-receiver and All-American at the University of Nevada, Reno and the operating owner of AVD's Going Vertical!, blows his whistle (Alex loves his whistle!) to rally the Game Plan Academy (GPA) student-athletes to huddle up.

"GPA on three. One. Two. Three. GPA!"

Coach Gio Carmazzi, a former NFL quarterback and National Scholar-Athlete at Hofstra University, leads the weekly GPA huddle cheer to conclude the football session during week four of eight this past Sunday, marking the half-way point of GPA.

"Half-time!"

Energy, enthusiasm, and excitement levels were high this past Sunday at GPA as student-athletes relished their opportunity to train as one large group in the football stadium (*see camp photos above) at Hiram Johnson High School, GPA's gracious host. Displaying deft touch on their throws, leaping for balls high in the air, and pushing their bodies physically to stretch their conditioning abilities, GPA student-athletes put on quite a fabulous, entertaining show this past week. Parents, community members, and mentors in attendance were thoroughly impressed by this athletic display.

Following this fantastic football session, students enjoyed a healthy lunch while listening and responding to Joe Thomas's interactive workshop on how to be a 'Triple Impact Competitor'--a component of the Positive Coaching Alliance's curriculum.

When the day concluded, GPA reached 'half-time' successfully.

After the Easter break this Sunday, GPA will embark upon its final four weeks, starting back up on April 19th, running every Sunday until the final week on May 10th. With Marty McNeal, one of Sacramento's most well-respected sports journalists, speaking at the GPA graduation ceremony, the final four weeks of GPA promise to provide lots of positive, valuable life lessons for all those involved.

In many sports, from soccer to basketball, half-time represents an important opportunity for players and coaches to reflect on the 'first half' and then develop a Game Plan for achieving success in the 'second half '. In this light, the Game Plan Academy mentorship team will spend the next ten days reflecting and 'game-planning' for the second half of GPA to ensure that each week provides GPA's student-athletes with valuable, empowering experiences. At the same time, GPA student-athletes will utilize this time to rest up, train individually or with teammates, enjoy time with their families, and strategize ways to make the most of their remaining weeks at GPA.

We look forward to seeing community members, especially local coaches and educators, out at Hiram Johnson on April 19th, from 10:30 AM to 2:30 PM, watching this grassroots program in action.

Contact Brent Pottenger at (916) 955-1892 or at info@gameplanacademy.com if you are interested in donating to GPA. You can find more information on our Web site, www.GamePlanAcademy.com, as well. Thanks!

Game Plan Academy is awesome

2009-04-02T05:15:44Z

Game Plan Academy (GPA) is awesome: the students are awesome (they represent Monterey Trail, Hiram Johnson, Rosemont, Highlands, Burbank, McClatchy, Rio Linda, Sheldon, and Florin High Schools), the facility is awesome (Hiram Johnson High School), the mentorship team is awesome (see www.GamePlanAcademy.com), the guest speakers are awesome (they include Mayor Kevin Johnson and Marty McNeal, to name a few), the sponsors are awesome (they include the Positive Coaching Alliance and Wells Fargo), the concept is awesome (the goal is to develop well-rounded student-athletes), and the camp is going awesomely (come out this Sunday from 10:30 AM - 2:30 PM to see the program in action)!

With so much 'awesomeness' in action, students at GPA reflected this past Sunday on their experiences and thoughts thus far. Here is a handful sampling of some of these reflections; Sunday was a cold, windy day, but the students did an awesome job both on the field and in the classroom, working hard to improve their academic and athletic skills (the goal of this short reflection session was to simply have the students write and think):

STUDENT 1
Today was a pretty cool day today. I woke up at about 9:30 and went to the donut shop. I bought a really big Cinnamon Roll. After that I went to the GPA camp. Now I will be on my way home. When I get home I am going to study algebra II homework for finals this up coming week. I have a C in the class and I want to push it to a B. It is 2:32 and I am about to leave. It was really cold and windy when we were practicing. My girlfriend went to Southern California and left me bored. 15, 14, 13, 12, 11, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, ZERO!

STUDENT 2
Today I learned that to understand or comprehend anything you must first pay attention. Paying attention is the key to everything, ex: healthy relationships, good communication, politeness. My girlfriend is hella hilarious she just sent me a text on how I shouldn’t act like superman and she loves me. This make me really…

STUDENT 3
Today was an ok day for me. It was very windy outside so a lot of my throws were off mark. Instead of me improving, I felt like my value decreased today. I could have don’t a lot of things better. In the classroom, it was fun. We talked about our Pere Carroll articles.

STUDENT 4
Today I woke up at 8:47 and went to the GPA Academy. I read and went over a fascinating article about a football coach. We also read a article on communication and paying attention. I thought the articles were pretty fascinating. I’m kind of worn out today from the athletic part of the academy. I think I’m going to go home an rest up for school tomorrow. I have a whole bunch finals.

STUDENT 5
Today GPA camp was alright, came extra early so I wouldn’t have been late, cause I hate been late for something. We practice, it was a litte hard work, last week felt easier. We eat lunch, watch film, and learned what I have to do in my 3 step drop and 5 step drop and 7 step drop.

STUDENT 6
Today I learned about patience. It is an aspect of life. I also learned that I should wear legging because it was cold. I learned that you have to adjust your weight when you do routes that you have to make sharp turns or stops. I learned to look the same from the beginning to the end of a route. I learned to stare down a DB at the high school level. I had to put trust in my hands. I learned that my time management skills need to improve. I learned about a few negatives in my life that cause me to have poor communication skills and poor time management. I learned that I am coachable academically and on the field.

STUDENT 7
Today wasn’t a really good day. I was cold, windy, and I was tired. I dropped a lot of balls in the beginning. But I did not get discouraged. I keep on being focus on the ball and never give up. It really helped at the end. The lunch was good. The classroom session taught me a lot. The article taught me whi is life, life. Why we act the way we are. I really want to start thinking a lot on college. I should really start doing a lot more research on the college I want to go to. I can’t wait till next week. By the way, the agility drills was a killer. It made me a lot more tired than I was and it made my feet burn.

STUDENT 8
Today was very windy. It kinda cold. The workout was very intense. We got a lot of reps. I think we should stretch before we run because my legs start to get tight if I don’t. Lunch was koo. The class period was koo.

STUDENT 9
Today during the football part of the camp I learned if I keep my knees up during the ladder drills it will be a lot more easier to get through. So what I did was started brining my knees up and it was a whole lot easier on me. I also learned if I stay low coming out of my cuts the cut will be a lot more crisp and sharp. I would come up and slip, so I was told to stay low and it worked. During the class part I learned that understanding someone doesn’t mean understanding what they are saying, but understanding them. I also learned that to understand means to “stand under” and let ideas come over you.

STUDENT 10
I liked the football session, it showed me some drills I could work on to improve on the field. For my first time being here I enjoyed the program and what it has to offer. I like the Pete Carroll article; and I admire what Pete Carroll did throughout his career. Overall the article today really caught my attention. Mainly because of what it brought out and how it obtains to me.

STUDENT 11
I learned what benevolent means. I also learned about a nice quote and it says, “When love fails, at least be cordial.” – Kurt Vonnegut. Today I also learned about how to understand people and to improve your own people skills. Today during the football portion I learned to stay low on my breaks when running my route.

STUDENT 12
Well on the field I learned a lot from both Alex and Gio. I learned that all your routes should look the same in the beginning and you want to keep your arm pumping when breaking and do not look to early for the ball. In the classroom I learned some every interesting facts, clues, and ideas. I also gained some knowledge that will help me on and off the field. Patience is the key. Patience can get you through the day and pretty much make your life easier. Simple exercises can help you. And keeping your mouth shut can help things our and being calm.

STUDENT 13
Today was my first day at GPA and I end up learning a lot from how to stand and deliver to ball to being patient when things don’t go your way. Out on the field today it felt like we started the football season all over again. I was tired after only doing warm-ups but I stick in there and challenged myself to go on with the drills. After the drills we went to our positions and worked on quarterback things.

Five Sundays remain in GPA, and, the chances are, they are going to be awesome experiences for all those involved!

Congresswoman Matsui Meets with Usher to Discuss Urban Youth

2009-02-27T22:23:12Z

The Following is a news release from the office of Congresswoman Doris Matsui:

Today Congresswoman Doris Matsui met with multi-platinum performing artist Usher Raymond IV to discuss national service issues and the importance of empowering America’s urban youth ahead of the House Education and Labor Committee’s Improving Service and Volunteerism Hearing, at which Usher testified.

As a Co-Chair of the National Service Congressional Caucus, Rep. Mastui has been a leader on national service issues, including advocating for volunteer corps to assist our country with education, environmental and public health projects, as well as provide relief in national emergencies.

Usher is the founder of New Look, a non-profit charity organization which aims to provide young people with a new look on life through education and real-world experience. The organization builds upon participant’s interest in athletics, music and entertainment to support the growth and success of young people from disadvantage circumstances.

Congresswoman Matsui and Usher spoke about the importance of advocating for volunteer programs, and the renewed sense of service and volunteerism that celebrities, Members of Congress, and President Obama each have a responsibility to promote and encourage.

“I appreciate Usher coming to testify before Congress and the important service that New Look is providing for urban youth across the country. Empowered youth are more likely to be active in their communities, and today’s hearing is an important step in bringing together government and non-profit organizations to provide incentives and opportunities for Americans to make real investments in their community through service and volunteer projects” said Congresswoman Matsui.

*photos by Mara Lee, Press Secretary

Law enforcement youth development program

2009-01-23T06:26:00Z

The City of Sacramento Department of Neighborhood Services announces:

The Sacramento Police Department is developing a Law Enforcement Youth Development Program (YDP).

They are seeking a diversified group of young adults between the ages of 13 – 18 years old. These selected students must meet minimum requirements, such as a 2.0 GPA, leadership skills, school attendance, citizenship, and be interested in a possible career in law enforcement. Potential candidates must fill out an application, receive permission from their parents (if under age 18), and pass an interview. Upon acceptance into the program, students will be assigned a law enforcement employee to help guide them through the program.

The program will help guide students through academics and social experiences and direct them towards success. Successful students will have the opportunity to obtain part-time jobs as Public Service Aide's (PSAs), student trainees', record clerks, and Community Service Officers (CSOs) while going through the program.

For more information, please call Sgt. Shawn Rogers 808-0880, Officer Justin Brown 808-0887 or Officer Kris Sundby 808-0889.

Youth gang prevention and intervention campaign

2008-12-21T03:35:09Z

The City of Sacramento Department of Neighborhood Services announces:

The City of Sacramento, Office of Youth Development (OYD), Sacramento Police Department, and U.S. Attorney’s Office are working together on the campaign. The campaign is designed to divert youth from gangs. The campaign consists of billboards throughout the City of Sacramento, public service announcements aired on local television stations, and hundreds of posters.

Research has shown that effective, community based programs can keep at-risk youth from joining gangs, and rehabilitate those already in gangs. Accordingly, the campaign links parents, adults, and young people to the City of Sacramento’s information line, 3-1-1, which will connect them to a wide array of youth programs and resources currently operating in our community. These programs and resources not only focus on gang prevention and intervention, they also provide academic support, job and life-skills development, and employment assistance.

In addition, calls emanating from this campaign will be tracked, and when appropriate, OYD staff will conduct follow-up inquiries with callers who require additional assistance. Most of the funding for the campaign comes from Project Safe Neighborhoods, a federal grant program that focuses on reducing gang and gun violence through education and early intervention. Additional contributors, in the form of time and/or money, include CBS Outdoor (donated billboards), the Astone Agency, and Fresno’s “Valley Crime Stoppers."

For more information and to view the attached information, please visit the Office of Youth Development's website at www.cityofsacramento.org/Youth-Development/

How Did Sacramento High Become a Charter School?

2008-12-01T22:32:31Z

The first article in this series discussed the mixed reactions from community members regarding the decision to turn Sacramento High School into a charter school. You can read this story by clicking here or by clicking on the green storyline tab to the right.

For those of you who don't know, Sacramento High School became a charter school in 2003.

This surprised me, because I had always thought, "Once a charter, always a charter.” But, in learning more about the current Sacramento High School, there is a unique story.

The current school is a collaborative project put together by Kevin Johnson and St. Hope. Concerned with low academic performance, Johnson returned to his former Oak Park neighborhood and wanted to make a change.

The school was at risk for state takeover, or maybe even foreclosure, so the Sacramento City Unified School District (SCUSD) superintendent Jim Sweeney offered to transform the high school into a charter.

California's charter law allows for a school to run as a charter school and be governed by a specific contract, which is known as a "charter." This contract serves as the school's mission.

In the case of Sacramento High, this means that instead of being bound by the school district's rules, Sacramento High is operated by St. Hope.

This allowed for drastic changes to Sacramento High. For one, the school was divided into four separate entities.

To find out more about each, you can visit their Web sites:

School of the Arts
School of Business & Communications
School of Law & Public Service
School of Math Engineering & Health Sciences

Other changes included more focus on college and student achievement, tutoring, encouraging more student and parent participation, community service and an overall focus on scholastic achievement.

They also require students to wear uniforms and have more stringent rules while on campus in regard to things like wearing hats or using cell phones.

To find out more about Sac High, you can visit the school Web site here, or visit them at 2315 34th St
You can also call (916) 277-6200

Many parents, students and community members have expressed dissatisfaction about Sac High's transformation into a charter school. What are your feelings about Charter Schools in general? Do you know students who attend Sac High? Are they satisfied with the education they are receiving? Have you noticed improvements, overall, since this decision was made? Is there a better solution?